Notches On The Tin Man's Bedpost
by Colours Doyle
Summary: When a spitfire journalist from the LA Times lays out on the table a four-hundred word article describing and bashing the infamous CEO of Stark Industries for all he's worth, will he finally understand what life is all about? Or will she? Now, Tony/OC.
1. Buddha For Journalism

An Iron Man story.  
_Notches On The Tin Man's Bedpost._

This can be considered an Iron Man/The Soloist story, but I won't take the time to explain it. If you've seen both movies you'll understand.

Disclaimer: I do not and have not owned or stated I've owned anything involving Iron Man, and it shall stay that way. Even though I wish it didn't. This includes The Soloist. Anything you recognize is not mine.

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"Riley, where's your column draft?" Russ Stanton asked, the biese mustache quivering like a ferret above his lip and the graying receating hairline taunting my self-control to make a sarcastic comment to the man.

"I'll have it to you soon, Stanton," I told him, hoping—no, praying the man leave my personal bubble soon or I'll give him a personal welcome to The Times. He's new, doesn't know the ropes very well, doesn't know how everyone works, nor I.

"If it's the day before publishing again, I'm docking your pay." He threatened. I didn't feel threatened, but he threatened nonetheless. He walked away, back to his newly furnished office. That used to be Mary, the old editor's office, but after she got fired, even the air felt different.

Once Stanton was out of ear and eye-shot, I turned to Steve sitting in the cubicle across the isle next to mine. "I hate him," I said, angst running through my veins and I bit into a Twizzler I'd found on my desk, probably three plus days old.

Steve laughed, a chuckle more so. "He's been here for two weeks, Ri, don't be so quick to judge."

I rolled my eyes, "You may be like that, but I am not. I judge people on how they treat others, and he treats us like we're children and therefore I really dislike the man. It's simple logic, Lopez, google it." He laughs, Steve always gets a kick out me. I remember the article Steve wrote about me when I first joined the staff. _'A woman young, with a fair, calm face, whose lines and words written bespoke repression and even a certain strength. A quirky red-head with a knack for opinions and expression. A gal named Riley McDermott.' _I still have that article, cut out, and taped to my area wall.

"Despite your reputation, you're young and that's all he sees."

I nodded, "Yeah, I guess you're right, but I still don't like him. I don't like people who won't let me work at my own pace, I've certainly earned that privilage, right?"

And Steve nodded, "What's the thesis of this week's column, then?"

I sighed and leaned back in my old 90s, worn-out, office chair, mind you worn-out by my ass and my ass only. I looked up at the water stained tiles, imagining that sixty gallons of water would come bursting through and drenching the entire office and I'd finally get a day off. So, obviously, I sadly had no thesis for this week's column. I mean, I could do my normal bullshit; write about conspiracies with the government, or a column about how oblivious people are to the truth. But Steve took onto my lack of answering as a 'I have no thesis.'

"Ah, I see..." His phone started to ring, and he turned to answer it. "Steve Lopez." Damn his popularity.

I turned my chair around to the small TV that was bolted to the wall, in turn sending my full attention to the press conference taking place. Cameras flashed like strobe-lights and helpless reporters held out tape recorders to the podium that held a man of who's identity was unknown to me. But the fifty mile-per-hour text streaming across the bottom of the screen read something concerning Stark Industries and the future plans of the company.

Boring. Blad. Not worth my time. I don't care.

But as I rolled back over to Steve who had just gotten off the phone, I swung out my hand and stopped myself. The camera focused on a man who had just walked up to the podium. A man with his arm in a sling, a few cuts on his face. I felt Steve walk up behind me.

"That's Tony Stark."

"Mm-hmm." I mumbled and turned the volume up.

"_I had my eyes opened. I came to realize I had more to offer this world than just making things that blow up. And that is why, effective immediately, I am shutting down the weapons manufacturing division of Stark Industries." _And the crowd goes manic. Completely bonkers.

"Shiiiit." I said, that's a shocker, "I really wouldn't have guessed that the largest weapons manufacturing company in the world to stop making weapons. But that's the world, one surprise after another. Take Obama for example."

"This press-conference is dated, two months old actually. Yesterday a conference was held and Stark stated he was was Iron Man. The guys a total prick though, uses women. Playboy." Steve informed me and I perked up. Not the playboy part, but the Iron Man part. Okay, and the playboy part, but for a different reason.

"Really?"

He nodded, looking at me intently but I hardly noticed, my mind was racing. _What if..._

"Ah, ah. I know that face. I know that face, Riley, what's going on in that brilliant head of yours?" Steve asked in anticipation.

"What if...what if," I spoke louder, "I did that cliche? What if I found out the real Tony Stark. Behind all the guns and good-looks and behind that god awful goatee was something else? Something else entirely? Imagine it, Lopez...it's perfect." I smiled, and I smiled more than I have before.

I shooed Steve back to his work place and grabbed a phone book. I placed the phone to my ear and began my endless hunt for who to call to get me into an interview with Tony Stark.

_"Maybe this was a stick in the mud here, but maybe I could do this. It'd take some work, but all good things take a bit of sweat. And guess what sweetie? You have a deadline in four days and a story on the Health Care Reform being a total character steal from communism is not a story at all."_

* * *

"Hello, my name is Riley McDermott, I'm a columnist for the LA Times, and I was wondering if I could possibly get an interview with Tony Stark."

"_Please hold." _

"Of course." This had to be at least the twelfth person I'd been put on hold with, and it was starting to get aggravating. Very aggravating.

"Pepper Potts speaking, how may I help you?" Fucking finally, this was Mr. Stark's P.A., I finally scored someone that could help me out.

"Hey, my name is Riley McDermott, I'm the leading columnist for the LA Times, and I was wondering if I could possibly get an interview with Tony Stark for a story..."

"_Oh, I'm terribly sorry Miss McDermott, but Mr. Stark is currently unavailable at the moment."_

I rubbed my forehead, I could feel the oil on my skin telling me I needed to take a shower. "Well, do you know when he will be avaible for an interview, particularly within the next few days?"

"_No I'm sorry but he won't be available at all this week."_

You have got to be joking... "Really? But then I don't have a story."

And que the dial tone.

"Thanks for...checking." I let the phone droop to my shoulder, the dull dial tone pulsating in my ear drums like a ringing in my ear that won't go away. I sigh.

"Now what?" I said to no one in particular. And of course, there was always someone to answer my questions whether need be or not.

"You could write your column on the Health Care Reform." Steve suggested.

"You know I don't do that stuff," I slumped in my chair, "Where exactly is Stark Industries?"

"Pretty sure it's here in Los Angeles. Why?" Steve asked. He should know by now that I do anything and everything I can to get a story, and I am going to work for this one.

"I'm going there right now, and hopefully I'll get something." I said as I lifted my jacket from the back of my chair and threw it on as I quickly exited the building.

I searched on my handy dandy iPhone on the location and set off for Stark Industries. But about halfway there, that phone began to ring, an unknown number.

"Hello?"

"_Hello, is this Riley McDermott?"_

"Yes, and who is this?"

"_Hi, I'm sorry this is Pepper Potts we spoke on the phone just a little while ago."_

"Oh, yeah, hey."

"_Were you still wanting that interview?"_

"Uh, uhm, y-yes. Why the sudden change in plans?"

_"Mr. Stark's__ next meeting got canceled right after you called so I decided to call you back. Do you think you could make it to Stark Industries within the next thirty minutes?"_

"I am actually on the road right now, I think I'm pretty close as well."

"_Oh, good. I'll wait for you in the main lobby and we can go from there."_

"Alrighty, thanks."

I hung up and smiled.

"Hell yes!"

When I'd entered the building I received looks from men in three-piece suits and women in pencil skirts that were everything but friendly. So I didn't dress like a professional, that doesn't mean I'm not one. I have, in fact, been one for quite sometime now.

A tall woman approached me, orange hair and bright blue eyes. That was an odd occurrence I've never seen.

"Hello, you must be Riley, I'm Pepper." I shook her smooth hand, she had a kind smile that looked a tad forced.

"Yes, it's good to put a face to the voice. Nice to meet you." Her eyes leered at my attire, "Oh, I'm sorry I'm not dressed up of anything, my job doesn't require any sort of professionality when it comes to clothes."

"Oh no, it's perfectly fine."

"I do stick out like a sore thumb in an ocean of healthy fingers, don't I?" I chuckled.

She smirked, nodded, "Well there's nothing wrong with that. Now, if you follow me, I'll lead you to Mr. Stark's office." And she did, my old sneakers made a soft patter compared to her three and a half inch heels clicking on the almost mirrored tile floor, my ankles ached just thinking about wearing those nasty things.

"Right through that door Miss McDermott."


	2. Starky Boy

Friday afternoon I watched Steve's face as he began reading my article for Sunday's paper. I had stayed up all night writing that damn thing and for what? To please myself and maybe make a few people open their eyes. Oh, and maybe, just possibly, I could open up Tony Stark's eyes, if he even took the time to read the paper. I was nervous to have Steve read it, but he always gave the best criticism. If he likes it, which is highly unlikely because despite Steve and I's friendship he hardly ever approved of the things I wrote about, but in some fucked up universe if he liked it, I swear I'd even do a little jig.

He started reading.

Curiosity, then laughter. Then a look of disappointment and he glanced up at me with worrisome eyes. He'd obviously gotten to the bedpost thing. He read on more until he finished and set the paper down slowly. There was a smirk on his lips.

"Well?"

He began to say something, then stopped himself. He started again, "Are you looking for a lawsuit, Riley?"

I scoffed, "No, no one can sue me. I've done nothing wrong. No libel here, my good friend." I told him and his forehead grew wrinkles as his eyebrows raised and he smiled.

"Well, other than that I love it. It's raw, and different. A lot of people are going to love you for it. But a lot of people are going to hate you for it, you know that right?" Steve told me, crossing his arms and looking at me with a brotherly expression. I sighed at his comment.

"It's going to be a good article nonetheless, Stevie. But you like it?" His nodded made me smile and I did a small jig. Hey, I said I would. "And off to the Editor I go!"

* * *

Pepper walked into Tony's office carrying a cup of steaming coffee, a file-folder, and the newspaper with a small smirk on her lips.

"Here you go Mr. Stark." She set the coffee on his desk.

Tony grabbed the handle and took a small sip, slightly burning his tongue. "Why do you have a mischievous smirk on your face, Miss Potts?"

She unfolded the paper and handed it to him, "I told you to be nice to her." Tony gave her a questioning look and took the paper and began reading the article she pointed out to him.

Tony's expression turned to a scowl after he read the first two sentences. _'At first meeting, Tony Stark was-- well to be completely honest, the equivalent of going to a concert for a Willy Nelson Tribute Band. I was not blown away by his high school, childish cocky attitude and his god awful goatee that looked like it belonged to a 90s porn star.' _

As he read on he simply couldn't believe the words that were published in this article about him. They enraged him, they annoyed him, infuriated him, provoked such wrath he thought his top would blow. But the words made him realize, even though he'd never admit it to himself, they made him realize what an asshole he was; he hardly even remembered the interview, he must've been too enthralled with work to pay attention to what he was exactly saying. But apparently he was an prick to this writer.

"Who wrote this?"

"Riley McDermott, she's the leading columnist for the LA Times, I told you Mr. Stark, before she arrived for the interview three days ago." Tony nodded and stood. He was going to go down to go down to the LA Times building and confront Miss McDermott and get this situation fixed.

* * *

I was so tired, and I don't know why I was here, I usually had Sunday's off to myself, but the new editor wants columnists to start coming seven days a week. I call complete bullshit, but I only had to be here, that doesn't mean I have to do anything. Which is precisely why I was "resting" underneath my desk with a soft pillow.

About every thirty minutes Steve would check up on me.

"You still alive, McDermott?"

I'd always answer with a grunted response in affirmation. After about an hour I'd completely clonked out. Stanton could probably walk by and see me, go off on a ramble about how I was the most irresponsible journalist in LA, but I wasn't worried much.

In the midst of a dreamless slumber I was violently pulled from the sleep by an unknown object hitting my face. I shot up quickly out of tired shock and banged my head on the desk.

"Ow...what?!" I howled, not crawling out just yet.

"You have a visitor, Riley." Who would visit me, unexpectedly? I always knew if I had an appointment or an interview.

I slowly crawled out, and used the side of my desk to pull me up. I looked at Steve then the two people standing next to him. And so be it, it happened to be none other than Mr. Tony Stark, and Miss Pepper Potts.

"Oh," I paused, "It's you." I sat down in my chair and leaded back.

"Yes, it's me," Tony started, and I knew if he started he'd never stop, "And I have a problem."

"Oh? How can I help?" He unfolded a news paper and tossed it on my desk.

"What is this?" He asked, and I wasn't quite sure if he meant it rhetorically or not. I glanced at the paper, it was a section of the Times. And Tony pointed to an article, the article I wrote about him.

"Yes, I do believe that is the article I wrote. What about it?"

Tony scoffed, and I noticed Pepper seemed a little bit red in the face, perhaps she was embarrassed of her own boss. "_What about it? WHAT about it?! _I'll tell you what it is about it. This article is extremely derogatory, and I will not stand for that." He spoke with such a fire that heightened the attention of surrounding workers.

"Okay? What do you want to do? Sue me?"

"If the legal action must be included in this, then it will."

"And what exactly are you going to sue me for, Mr. Stark?"

"Libel."

"And what have I lied about, Mr. Stark? Have I lied about your humongous ego that inflates every time you invention something new that is potentially harmful to anyone? Or about your over obsession with women and using them? Or how about your-"

"Riley! Take your problems outside!" Stanton yelled from his office. I hadn't noticed I was yelling. But I held a sharp gaze as I grabbed a pack of Camels from my desk drawer and walked past Stark to the great outdoors. I lit up a fag quickly and inhaled. Oh, dear nicotine, how I adore you. But my adoration was halted as Tony spoke up once more.

"Alright, Miss McDermott, for your information," he said, "I am not like that at all, not anymore. You caught me on a bad day, is all."

"Okay, understandable, but I don't believe it...Prove me wrong, Starky boy."


	3. Interview Take Tu

"Alright, come to my house, tomorrow at noon, we'll have lunch."

I took this in, tasted it, chewed it...and swallowed it.

"Alright. Tomorrow at noon, karma's only a bitch if you are and second chances do not come around a second time, Mr. Stark. Do not waste my time." I inhaled one last time before tossing the cigarette butt into the freeway. A blue Nessian ran over it.

"I can guarantee you, Ms. McDermott, I will not." Tony smiled as Pepper wrote down the address to his place. She handed it to me. It was in Malibu, great.

"Tomorrow at noon." I said and walked back into the building. I hated goodbyes, especially awkward ones. So I never put myself in those situations.

So now I had to drive all the way to Malibu, fucking fantastic. When I reached my desk I quickly pulled up MapQuest. An hours drive, yay. I'll have to fill up on gas. Bigger yay.

* * *

A postman for US Postal heard the scrap. He saw a woman with her face in the burning sidewalk as two Latino boys took a bat to the woman's frail bones.

A 9-1-1 call brought in the troops of the LAPD from station two.

"Ma'am, can you hear me?"

"Miss, can you hear me?"

"Ma'am?"

"Miss?"

"Yes, I can fucking hear you, get me to a fucking hospital!"

I don't remember any of this, nor do I remember the accident.

St. Mary's was the closest emergency room and I quickly realized that if you end up here with nothing more than a bump or a bruise you were one lucky mother fucker.

The doctors told me to stay off my feet as I was to be feeling disoriented and might have suffered a concussion, and they'd like to keep me over night to check up on that, and to check up on my leg. Since there had been a previous injury on said leg, it could be more severe in the future.

Screw that. I had an interview to catch.

They gave me two bottles of Hydrocodone and I was out the door, bandaged, limping, and on my way to Malibu.

But about thirty minutes into the drive I realized what a risk I was taking driving with the pain of a concussion and a bruised and bloodied back. I fucking hate my job.

I stopped at a Fast-stop and rested for a while. It was 11:50. I pulled out my phone and called Ms. Potts.

"_Hello, Pepper Potts."_

"Hey, Pepper, it's Riley."

"_Hello, Miss McDermott."_

I grimaced as I moved the phone from one ear to another.

"Yeah, hey. Listen, I'm going to be a bit late, I got into a bit of...trouble earlier today and I'll just be about thirty minutes late. I'm sorry for the inconvenience."

"_Oh, no, it's alright, just take your time. I'm sure Mr. Stark isn't even out of bed yet."_

"Really? Okay, good. But I'll be there as soon as I can. Ciao."

"_Good-bye, Miss. McDermott."_

I hung up the phone and began driving again. I really hate my job.

Two bathroom stops, one gas stop, and forty-three minutes later I was driving around Malibu and searching for the private drive of Stark's home. I imagined it to be large, very large. Super cocky geniuses always had large homes.

I'd finally spotted the street and modestly pulled in my shitty 64' BMW into the drive. And I was right, very large. And very modern. Ick, I hate modernized homes like this.

I walked up to the door and rang the door bell.

"Name?"

"Son of a bitch." I jumped at the robotic voice coming from the intercom that I hadn't seen before I rang. "Uh...Riley McDermott."

"One moment."

I waited a moment. Then another. And another.

Suddenly the door opened.

"Mr. Stark is in his workshop. Just follow the hall to the living room and proceed down the stairs located on your left."

I followed the directions the anamotronic butler had given me and I came to a basement that was separated by walls of glass. I pulled on the door handle, it surprisingly opened with ease, and walked in.

And the first thing I heard when my size 7 shoe stepped on that basement floor...

"You're late."

I scoffed silently in my head. "Yeah."

Tony walked out of a room, drinking a cup of coffee when his eyes looked at me, he almost choked.

"What the hell happened to you?"

I walked slowly over to the table and leaned on it, trying to get some weight off of my leg.

"Some people like to write to let out their troubles, like me." I breathed in, "some like to build things with their hands to let out their troubles, like you. And some...like to go to the source of their problems and well, beat the shit out of them with aluminum bats."

"Shit, are you alright?" He quickly set down his coffee and ushered me to a chair. I was surprised by his gentleness. I looked at him.

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's get this interview started." And then he shook his head.

"You're like this because of the article you wrote?" I nodded my head.

"The life of a journalist is tough, man. It sucks sometimes."

He laughed, "No shit."

I laughed too. "Yeah, now come on, Stark, let's get this interview started." I used dramatic hand gestures to get my point across. A smirk rose on his face and I wanted to smack that little bitch.

He pulled up a chair and sat it across from me. I pulled out my tape recorder and set it on the table between us and pressed the play button. Interview; take tu. Two. Dos.

I began, "Now-"

"I read about you last night."

Ugh, I pressed the stop button and rewound the tape over that part. "Why?"

"I was curious about you. Wikipedia had lots to say about you." I laughed. "It was like I was reading your unofficial, unauthorized biography free on the internet."

"You shouldn't believe things on the internet. But let's get back to this interview, I have several questions for you." I pressed play.

"So the part about you being held captive wasn't real?"

I pressed stop and rewound again.

"Yes, yes it was true, but I don't want to talk about it, I want to talk about this interview, Tony." I pressed play again. "What is it-"

"I know what that's like, you know? Being held captive."

Stop. Rewind.

"I don't think you know what it's like, Mr. Stark." I pressed play and threw the recorder on the table, leaving it to record whatever.

"Well I wasn't tortured, but it sure was hell living in a cave for three months." I nodded. "How long were you held?"

"I was held in a cave for five months. Two of those months I had an unattended broken leg, that's why I walk with a limp—which is even more of a limp now." I told him.

"You were all alone?" I nodded again, "That must've been terrible. I guess I was lucky to have a companion."

This piked my interest. "Who was it?"

Tony smirked a little, looking at the floor, "His name was Yensin. He was such a kind, intelligent man."

I smiled a little, I was really taking a liking to Tony's different attitude. "He helped you escape?"

Tony nodded his head, smiling, "There were a lot of times where we would just talk, he did make for great conversation. But there was this one time when he asked me if I had a family. I told him no. He sort of smirked and said, 'So you're a man who has everything, and nothing.' That phrase has been haunting me ever since."

"Do you believe that?"

"Well of course I do, hell a blind and deaf man would believe it because that's who I am, a man who has everything, and nothing. I just wish I could change that, you know? But it's kind of late now, I'm 33 years old, I have no family other than Pepper, and I don't even know how long she's going to stay around."

I understood. Most women my age should at least be married, having children. But not me. No sir.

"What about you?"

"How about me what?"

"Do you have a family?"

I sighed. "...No."

"We're on the same boat then. I guess it's not all that bad, though it does get lonely sometimes." Whoa, whoa here, why is he getting so personal? He noticed my discomfort and began to stray off the subject and onto intriguing others.

Pepper arrived at around one thirty and made turkey sandwiches for lunch. I wasn't a fan of turkey, but I needed food in me for my strength.

"Hey, I need to get a picture of you." I told Tony.

"What, like, just a picture?" He asked with his mouth full.

"Ew," I threw a napkin at him, "And no, not just a blad, shitty "look, this is who this article is about" picture. I want to get a picture of you working on something. It'd have to be tomorrow though, I forgot my camera, is that fine?" I asked.

Tony nodded his head, wiping his mouth with the napkin, "Sure, I have a meeting tomorrow so--"

"Oh, cool, that would be better. I could get a couple of nice shots, image-wise. I could do both, make a nice collage or something." I rubbed a knot on my head, the Hydrocodone was wearing off and the pain began to fill it's place. I groaned. I was feeling even worse than before I'd gotten the pain medication.

"Are you alright, Miss McDermott?" Tony asked, I rolled my eyes.

"Don't call me Miss McDermott, it makes me feel like I'm more important than everyone else." Tony laughed. "And yeah, I'm fine."

"Uh, I don't think so, Riley." Tony reached over and placed his hand on my cheek. My vision began to shift and I felt like I was underwater, Tony's body swivled and his voice was low and so slow it was tacky and cliché, this disorientation. His voice was low, and slow. "You're...burning...up." Low and slow...and I saw that tacky goatee no more.


	4. Chineseses

**Hey there, thank you for all the wonderful reviews :) And I do apologize for the language, I've gotten a complaint about it. But it's just how my character is, if you don't like it, don't read it. **

**Here's a long chapter for you, I hope you like it. :)**

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When my mind was awake, I opened my eyes to a hueing darkness. I was laying on a couch, I could tell because it was soft, yet uncomfortable. I quickly shot up into a sitting position and quickly regretted it as a sharp pain blinded my vision and I groaned. There was a blanket rapped around my waist that I threw off and I started to stand. Another pain shot through my leg as soon as I put any weight on it, and I yelped.

"Fuck!" I fell back on the couch and saw stars through the windows behind me. Such a beautiful sight, but such an unuseful remedy for stalling my pain.

I sighed, the pain was dulling but it was still there. Still fucking there.

And I was still at Tony's house. Still fucking here. Goddammit why was I still here? I needed to feed my cat, he's probably starving. Shit, he's probably dead right now because I wasn't there to feed him. I need to get home. But I couldn't do it myself, I was in NO condition to drive at night like this.

So I got down on all fours, well three and a halves, and made my way to the wall. I stood and began to use that rusty photographic memory to try and remember my way around.

I suddenly heard a small drilling and I followed the sound. It led me through a hall way and I spotted a stair case. I slowly descended slowly down the steps using the railing.

When I found myself at the entrance of the basement I heard Tony's AI speaking.

"Mr. Stark, Miss McDermott is just outside the door."

The drilling stopped and I saw Tony come out from behind a car. I opened the door that separated me from him.

"Sleeping beauty awakes."

"What the _hell _am I still doing here?!" I yelled as best as I could. Tony put his arms up.

"Calm down, McDermott. You passed out earlier today from the pain of your injuries, I would've had someone bring you to your home but I didn't know where you lived." I sighed, leaning against the wall.

"I need to get home, I need to feed my cat, I need to report into the Times, I need to take my medication, I-"

"Riley, I will take you home, calm down." He grabbed me by my shoulders to make me shut up.

I stared at him for a second. "What time is it?"

"JARVIS, time?"

"Four forty-three A.M."

"Yeah, I really need to go home." I told him, "Where's my shit, my keys, I'll just drive myself." I began to walk up the steps with much difficulty. I succeeded in two steps before I felt arms around me, holding me up, but they stopped me from going up the steps and began leading me back into the basement.

"I'll drive you home, you are in no state to be driving." I was becoming increasingly tired, so I just simply nodded as he helped me into one of his expensive fancy ass cars, I was too tired to specify what type of car it was.

The drive was long, and I couldn't sleep a wink, I could never sleep in cars. He had relatively good taste in music though, Radiohead played softly through the speakers, calming me. Tony had given me several pain killers, they were the good stuff.

* * *

I pulled out my key and put it to the door handle. I missed the hole three times before I got it. God, I feel like I'm drunk.

I swung open the door and hit the switch that turned on the low lights.

"I'd apologize for the mess, but-ah it always looks like this." Tony chuckled. "Cornelius?"

I heard a meow and saw a gray flash of fur as my darling cat curled up around my feet.

"Why would you name a cat Cornelius?"

"Dude, this is the smartest cat in the entire world, I swear." I laughed, the pain killers were completely kicked in. "But thanks for driving me home, I really really appreciate it."

"Oh, no. It's no problem. Are you still up for photos tomorrow-- well later today?"

I nodded.

"All right, I'll have your car here by the time you wake up. The meeting's at noon, and here's the address." He quickly wrote it down and handed to me.

"Good night." I said whistfully. He chuckled.

"Good night."

And he walked out the door, closing it behind him.

* * *

When I had woken up, sure enough, my BMW was sitting on the side of the road below my window, just like Tony said. I was horrendously tired so I decided to treat myself to Starbucks and I dallied my way to the Times so I could finish at least three cigarettes because god only knows I needed it.

My limp had gone back to it's regular subtle-ness, for which I was thankful. But I still had a nice shiner in my left eye, I'd tried to cover it with make-up, but it didn't work so well. And I also had a few cuts on my cheek and forehead, the rest of my injuries were hidden underneath clothing. As I walked into the office, Steve got a first glance at me, then took a double take while he was on the phone.

"Holy hell...—No, not you sir." He hung up as I dropped into my chair. "Riley, what the hell happened to you?" I didn't answer, he was smart enough to figure it out himself, "This wouldn't have anything to do with the article, would it?" And I shrug, "Tired Riley Motion" as a 'yes'. "Damnit Riley, I knew this would happen."

"Hey, it was a good article nonetheless. But I'm writing a new one for this week, it's my turn for the feature article so I'm gonna go down to Stark Industries, take some pictures." I told Steve as I began searching through my cluttered desk for my memory card. "Where the fuck—never mind." I slipped the chip into my jacket pocket. "I'll see you tomorrow, Steve-o."

"Drive safely!" He called after me.

When I arrived at Stark Industries, it was like a repeat of the last time I'd visited this lovely place. But I ignored the awkward and disapproving glances and made my way to floor eleven. I checked my phone, I was going to be late again, but that's not a rariety nowadays. The elevator took forever but I finally reached the eleventh floor and was greeted by a nice windowed area, the sunlight was refreshing.

I hobbled my way to the front desk, the tight, ugly blond sitting behind the counter scowled at me.

"Hey there, do you know where Tony Stark's meeting is being held, it was scheduled at noon."

She paused, she probably wasn't going to tell me, "Who are you?"

I sighed, I reached into my purse, pulling out my bill fold and showing her my Times ID, "I'm Riley McDermott, columnist and photographer for the LA Times, now, sweetie, can you tell me where the meeting is being held? If not, I'm just gonna walk about until I stumble upon it." I was pissed, I was already late, I didn't want to make a huge thing out of taking a couple pictures.

"Right down that hall way and take a left."

"Merci." I spoke sweetly and made my way down the unforgiving hallway.

The door was open which means the meeting hasn't started yet. I stepped in slowly and saw several people sitting around a table. I spotted Pepper and then, my luck would have it, Tony spotted me before I spotted him.

"Excuse me, everyone. Before this meeting is started I want to inform you all that Miss McDermott will be taking a few pictures as the meeting is...going on." Tony walked up to me.

"I have a mouth, you know, I can speak for myself."

"Ah, and just as chipper as ever. You reek of cigarettes and," he sniffed, "coffee, darling." I pulled out my camera, Nikon D3000; my baby, and slung the strap over my neck.

"And?" It's not like I wasn't used to the smell, I have been smoking and drinking coffee since high school.

"It's not particularly the best impression."

I brought the camera to my eye, "I'm a journalist, I don't give a shit about impressions." I snapped a picture of him, with flash. He muttered, 'Damnit.' under his breath and rolled his eyes. "You're lucky I'm not smoking right now." Though I think in about twenty minutes I'll have to sneak out for a bit, I can feel a craving coming on.

The meeting got started and I started to take a few pictures of Tony, but it was extremely difficult seeing as how he wouldn't stop looking at me. And everyone knows a good feature article picture is when the medium is not staring STRAIGHT AT THE CAMERA. So instead of boosting his entirely too large ego I began taking pictures of everyone else.

I sat in a spare chair and listened to a bit of the meeting. It was a meeting about the carbon caps the company had control over. I'm glad my job is never this boring.

There was suddenly a vibration in my pocket. It was a text from an unknown number. I opened it and suppressed a snort while reading it.

_'You should take more pictures of me.' _I looked up at Tony, he was looking away but had a smirk on his face. He must've gotten my number from Pepper's phone.

_'Well maybe if you quit looking at me, I'd be able to get a decent photo.'_

The meeting then went by smoothly and I got a fantastic shot of Tony in mid-hand gesture. I was proud of myself. And I was happy that the meeting only lasted about forty minutes and I was out the door by one.

"Riley!" I heard my name being called behind me. I turned to see the face of Tony coming closer. "Get any good pictures?"

"I did actually, thanks for being cooperative, I know it was a hard thing to do." I laughed and pressed the elevator button to go down.

"Oh, it was no problem at all." I rolled my eyes at his blunt-ness, but it intrigued me nonetheless. "So...where are you going after this?"

"The Times, why?"

"Just wondering if you wanted to catch dinner." If I were a dog, my ears would've perk up through the ceiling.

"Why do you want to have dinner with me? It's of no gain to you, I've already gotten my article and pictures for the betterment of your image. Why?"

And then Tony seemed a tad...shy, as he looked down at the floor for a moment. "W-well, is it such a crime for a single man to ask a single, attractive women out on a date?"

The door of the elevator opened with a Ding! And my brain oozed from my ears and nose and mouth and eye-sockets, Tony Stark just asked me out on a date.

I walked into the elevator and I knew he'd follow me in.

"You know, I have a personal doctor, she might be able to fix your ankle for you."

"I'm fine." I shot back. I hated it when people brought up my "disability". Pissed me off even more when they brought it up a second time.

"All right. But what about dinner, tonight?"

I sighed. "No." I looked at Tony's face. His, and I say this lightly, attractive facial structure. And I saw a look of shock.

"Well why not?"

"Because Mr. Stark, you're a stupid genius who doesn't know a thing about women, I'm a bitchy journalist who couldn't hardly care less because, to be completely honest," I paused as we stopped at the bottom floor and the door opened, "I'm not attracted to you, Tony Stark."

Outside, I pulled out a pack of Camel's and lit one up. Tony looked at me with an unreadable expression.

"Well, let me know when you do. And call me later, I want to read the article before you publish it." And with that, he walked back inside.

"Fucking pretentious bastard, like I am ever going to be attracted to him." I said to myself, "Like I am ever going to let him read the article before I published it."

I started my car and was about to pull out when a man in a three piece suit jumped out in front of my car. Low and behold, it was Tony.

"Ahh! What the hell Tony?!" I jumped out out my car, and slammed the door shut. "What's wrong with you?!" I ran up to him and he put his hands up.

"Hey, hey, hey you-you like Chinese food, yes?" I stared at him, this was why he almost killed himself? "You do, right?"

"I...do."

"Listen, I know this fantastic Chinese restaurant in east LA, my treat." He really was a determined little guy, but I don't know if I wanted to do this, I don't know if I wanted to go on a date...with Tony Stark. But it would be nice to go out to dinner other than Ihop for once. But what would this do for my image?

_Riley McDermott seen with Tony Stark! _

_Is she his new "girl"? _

_Iron Girl?! _

Good god, what am I doing, I thought as I reached into my pocket and brought out a pen.

"What's the address?" Tony smirked, taking the pen from me, and took my hand. He wrote the address of the restaurant on the top of my hand, he wrote slow and neat and released my hand. "I'll be there at seven."

"I'll see you there." He leaned down to kiss my cheek but I put a finger on his lips.

"Ah, don't think so."

Tony smirked, taking my hand off his lips and kissing my knuckles. Aren't we just a charming bastard? But, this made me smile.

"I'll see you at seven, Miss McDermott."


	5. Date Shmate

**Hey, hey, thank you all for the reviews for the last chapter and thank you all for the help, I hope to get just as much feedback as I did for this one as I did last one, maybe even twice as much! But that's me only dreaming. )**

**There's a lot of dialog in this one, so just forewarning you. Enjoy this chapter. :)

* * *

**

_Should I dress up? Or, should I dress down? _

_Oh, just get dressed, Riley._

It was 6:50, and I was standing in front of my dark closest, wrapped in a towel with dripping hair. I sighed, what the hell am I going to wear?

I heard Cornelius meow and he jumped towards me, rubbing against my leg.

"Any suggestions?" He only meowed. I forgot, he was a cat. I blow-dried my hair and straightened it a little, like I always do. My hair was still too short to put up, I'd just have to wear it plainly down. But, why did I want to wear my hair up? I wasn't trying to impress him, was I?

Was I?

I wasn't...attracted to him. Was I?

I don't know, but the more I thought on it, the more I started to take an admiration to the memory of his face. He was handsome, but he just...wasn't my type. But that doesn't mean I can't like him, no?

I tossed on my watch and a bracelet and I tripped slightly over something on the floor. I picked it up, it was an old over-sized dark blue sweater. Perfect. I pulled on some jeans and set my Hanna hat over my still untamed hair and was out the door.

It took around ten minutes to find the restaurant. And to my subtle surprise, the restaurant was not crowded with reporters and photographers, just a quaint, slightly run-down little Chinese restaurant. After parking and walking up to the entrance it took about five minutes, my ankle was killing me, it was seven-twenty.

The restaurant was very beautiful, had a stunning cultural feeling to it. The red walls and traditional Chinese paintings a gorgeous reflection of the string music being played gently and quietly in the background. I walked up to the "Wait to be seated" sign and was greeted by a beautiful Chinese woman with long wavy black hair and pearly white skin. Oh, so jealous.

"Hello, only one?" She asked, her accent so very apparent.

"No, I'm meeting somebody, Tony Stark?" She got a smile on her face.

"Ooh, right tis way Miss McDermott." I followed her through the restaurant and she led me to a small table that held a casual looking Tony.

"You're late."

"Fashionably." I said, sitting down, "You're early."

He smirked, "Fashionably."

"What would yew like to drink?" She asked me.

"Tea would be lovely, thank you." She nodded excitedly and sauntered off. I laughed slightly. "I really like this restaurant, it's...beautiful."

"It is, and the food is fantastic. I come here all the time." Tony said, taking a drink of water.

"I would too, but I spend most my evenings at IHop," I laughed. The Chinese woman brought me a glass of iced tea.

"Would like to order now?" I looked at Tony.

"Oh, um, any suggestions?"

"Hmm...do you like orange chicken?"

"Meh, not so much."

"Get the Sesame Chicken then, trust me."

"I'll have the Sesame Chicken then I suppose." She nodded and looked at Tony.

"I'll have the Chow Mien." She nodded and walked back to the kitchen. I turned my head towards Tony again and he was watching me intently.

"What?"

"It's nothing. So, how are you?" I laughed at his bluntness.

"I'm alright, how about yourself?"

"I suppose I'm greater than great." Hmm, odd?

"Why is that?"

"I'm happy because I'm sitting right here, in front of you."

"Hmm..." I thought for a moment, twirling my straw around in my cup. "Why did you ask me to have dinner with you in the first place, Tony? And no lies."

"I'm not lying, I truly wanted to have dinner with you tonight."

Just answer the question, dammit. "Why?"

He paused for a second, "You want to know the truth?" I nodded, of course I did, "...I'm not trying to get in bed with you, I'm not even going to hope for first base at anything tonight...I really like you, Riley. I don't know why, but I just can't seem to get your voice out of my head since last week. It...honestly scares me, I've never felt this way about any woman before, not without even knowing them." I tried not to let my mouth hang open, but I don't think I was very successful. And oh my god, what did I just hear?! "That must be hard to believe but it's just what it is."

I was, for once in my life, speechless. And that was an extreme rarity. "I...wow..."

"It's alright if you don't say anything, it just feels good to get that off my chest." And I just kind of sat there, it seemed like several minutes, but I'm surely positive it was only about thirty seconds before my muscles spoke for me and I smiled.

Tony smirked back.

"I'm going out on a complete utter whim here...but I seem to have a liking for you...as well." His smirked turned into a smile and our food arrived.

* * *

"So, tell me about yourself, Riley."

I ate a fork full of rice and swallowed, I never knew how to answer those type of questions, "I'm a thirty-one year old journalist and photographer, working for the LA Times," obviously had no clue.

Tony rolled his eyes, "I know that, smart ass, tell me something about _you._"

I thought, "My favourite colour is red and I used to paint my mom's clothes with red spray paint when I was younger." Tony laughed, "She wore the most hideous clothes, I was doing her a favour." I laughed along with him.

"Well, that's getting somewhere. Let's see...you know what? How about you just tell me your life story?" I ogled my eyes at him, "I'm waiting."

"Of course you are," I took a drink of tea, and thought, "I was born in the back of a cab in New York, New York. I was raised by my mom, Allene, she was an art teacher. I guess I grew up a normal life, really took a liking to writing in high school, though not journalism."

"What made you interested in journalism then?"

"I was actually on scholarship at Berkeley when I went to a Journalist convention at the request of my News teacher. I met Hunter S. Thompson there, and he taught me a little about being a journalist and I guess I just feel in love with it, 'cause here I am, doing it now."

"Interesting."

"I suppose, my life isn't really one for the books. Though it may be exciting in places, most of the time it's...depressing, you know?" Tony nodded. We ate in silence for a moment, I was thinking back to New York and all the times I had with all my family and old friends and realized that I...didn't miss it. "Do you know that place? That place where you feel just right, and just at home?"

He shook his head, "I'm not used to feeling like I belong where I am." I nodded.

"That makes two of us."

* * *

I never thought I'd say this but Tony Stark is...charming, funny, beautiful, and the most intelligent man I have ever met. And I'd never thought I'd say this, but I liked him. I really did. But I was still weary, I didn't know if he was putting on an act just to get in my pants, but why would he go through all this trouble to just to sleep with me?

As we were walking together to the parking lot, I couldn't help but look up at the stars. They were so bright, you could hardly see them as bright as this in the heart of the city where I happened to live. I couldn't take my eyes off them.

We'd finally reached my car and I looked at Tony to find him looking at me with those intense eyes that had never been so intense before, but they seemed to fit him, in a odd way.

I stood on my toes, rapping my arms around his neck and hugged him. I couldn't think of anything else to do, but it felt appropriate. A few seconds later I felt his arms rapped around my back and he hugged me tightly.

"Thank you for the lovely dinner," I said quietly in his ear.

"Anytime." Even though I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was smirking, he was always smirking. I let go, but Tony didn't seem to want to let go as he held onto my tighter. I rolled my eyes, and hugged him again.

"Thank you." I kissed his cheek, right below his ear and this seemed to satisfy him as he let loose of my body and stepped back. He leaned down and was about to kiss me, but he paused about an inch away just as I turned my head, like he knew I was going to. He broke from his pause and kissed my cheek, grabbing my hands in his.

"Would the lady enjoy a second date?" I laughed, these words seemed to be off coming from him. Tony Stark, dating. Made me laugh. But, no. I need to stop doing that, going straight towards the stereotype. I need to just go with the flow and accept things at face value, I do.

He rubbed his thumbs over my fingers. "I think I could schedule you in, if I moved some things around of course." I smiled at his smile.

"Oh, well, if you do happen to make some room, you have my number."

"Aye, that I do."

He winked, "Good night, Miss McDermott," and he began to walk over to his car.

"Good night, Tony Stark!" I yelled as loud as I could, and I heard him laugh as he stepped into his sleek silver Audi and I thought to myself that this cannot be true, that I am developing feelings for a man who's slept with countless women, and I really couldn't care less.

This should worry me, right? I suppose. But I'm going to be careful, really careful.

* * *

Tony walked through the door of his home with a small smile on his face.

"Good evening, sir." JARVIS said as he walked into the living room.

"Evening JARVIS." Tony walked into the living room and saw Pepper sitting on the couch fiddling on her Blackberry. "Good evening Pepper."

She looked up and had a look of confusion written all over her face. "...Good Evening?" She watched as Tony went to the kitchen and came back five minutes later with a glass of white wine. He smiled at her, turning on the television. He turned it to a news network. Pepper looked between him and the television, "Are...are you alright?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" He took a drink of wine and set it on the table.

"You're...happy." Tony laughed, "You're too happy. Why are you so happy?"

He shrugged.

"Where were you tonight?"

"Out."

"Out where?"

Tony shrugged again, "On a date."

Pepper chocked on air. "Wi-with who?"

He picked up his glass again, twirling the glass, the liquid spinning. "You won't believe me."

She set down her Blackberry and turned to him. "Who?"

"...Riley."

"The journalist?" She asked, Tony nodded his head, smiling slightly, "It's hard to believe that you'd even go out on a date let alone with someone like her. How'd you get her to go on a date with you?"

"It wasn't easy, trust me." He finished off his glass.

"Well...how did it go?" Pepper asked him with excitement.

He chuckled, "It was...the best date I've ever been on. I've never connected so easily to someone in my entire life." Pepper smiled at him, "What?"

She tried to hide her smile, but was unsuccessful, "Oh, nothing." She picked up her Blackberry, "There's an Awards Ceremony tomorrow recognizing 'Great Minds Of Western America' at five tomorrow."

"I--"

"Riley will be there."

"--am going to be there, five you say?"

He smiled and walked down to his workshop, with that same smile still on his face.


	6. Subtle Hammer And Nailing Glass

I walked into my apartment, setting my keys and purse on the stand next to the door. A sigh escaped my lips and I spotted the red flashing light coming from the answering machine. I know it's very redundent to have a land-line and a cell phone, bit I like have the home phone, makes me feel like I still have a little of the nineties with me. I pushed the play button.

"_Three new messages."_ The auto-woman's voice said to me.

"Well aren't I popular?" I said to myself as I munched on a bag of chips that I found on the couch.

"_First message, received at eight-oh-three."_

"_Hey Riles, it's Steve, uh, Lopez," _I laughed slightly, _"I just wanted to let you know that you've been nominated for Western American Best Brains or something like that. I don't remember. Anyway, I figured I'd call you and tell ya 'cause I knew Stanton wouldn't do it...I guess I'll talk to you later, or see you at the Disney Hall at five tomorrow evening. Whichever. So, uh, catch you later, bye."_

"Huh, cool."

"_Next message received at ten-oh-one P.M."_

"_Hey, Riley, it's your brother Liam, remember me? Yeah, well, I just had a quick question for you: why did I just log onto my email and see a picture of you and fuckin' Tony Stark like all over each other in some parking lot? Hmm? Call me back."_

As my mouth hung open, a chip fell to the ground like it jumped from my gaping mouth.

"What?"

"_Next message, received at ten twenty P.M."_

"_Hey Riley, it's Tony, I knew you probably wouldn't be home but I just wanted to call and say I had a _really_ nice time tonight and yeah, good night and I guess I'll talk to you later."_

I ran to my laptop, pushing off trash and shit and opened it. I quickly clicked the Yahoo homepage and what did I see? A fucking picture of Tony and I hugging and a caption that read; _"Tony Stark's new main squeeze; is this a joke?" _I was practically radiating with anger, but I felt like crying.

How could this have happened so quickly? I'd just left Tony not an hour ago!

Little fucker must have hid in the bushes. I hate reporters. They are the scum and dog shit on the bottom of your shoe in the media world. They only care about ruining someone else's life for the enjoyment of others. That's why I always get pissed when they call themselves Journalists. Call me picky, but it take more than a couple years as a literature major at a community college to be considered a Journalist. I didn't go five years to Berkeley for nothing.

I sighed, I don't even know what to say. Was it really worth it all?

As the night went on the pictures spread through almost every thread in the internet. Was it all really worth being Tony's new "main squeeze"? New "slut"?

"Shit, I feel like I'm in high school." I said to myself, and it did really feel like it. Rumours spreading like butter.

Another sigh. I rubbed a hand over my face and slammed the laptop shut.

"Fuck me."

It was around 3 AM when I fell asleep.

* * *

I woke up to the sound of the phone ringing.

"Hello?" I asked, my voice scratchy and raspfull.

"_Jesus, you sound like an old man."_ Steve's beautifully clear and calm voice spoke.

"Sexy, isn't it?" Steve laughed, "So what's going on?"

"_Well I was walking around seventh street and I came upon a magazine stand,"_ oh, lord, _"And I spied about three tabloid magazines with yours and Tony Stark's picture on the covers. So either low-down news corporations have some intense, mad photoshop skills, or it's real...Care to...explain?"_

I coughed, "We just went out to dinner yesterday, it was nothing really serious, but some asshole reporter must have hid in the bushes."

"_Nothing serious? Okay good." _ Steve said, I wonder what he meant by that... _"But anyway, did you get my message about awards?"_

"Yeah, I'm thinking about just skipping out on it, maybe catch up on some sleep."

"_Oh, no, you should go."_

"Why?"

"_Well, you didn't hear it from me, but I'm pretty sure your nominated for some type of award for your reporting on the war in Afganistan those few years back."_

"Well, okay, I've nothing better to do."

"_Good, I'll see you at the Disney Hall, five tonight."_

I laughed at how inthused he was, "See you there," and I hung up.

Now, going back to sleep, wake up at two thirty; dye my hair, and find something a little decent to wear.

* * *

Hogan pulled slowly up to the curb and Tony and Pepper filed out of the car, being swarmed by reporters like mosquitoes. Tony answered a few questions with a yes or a no. But then he heard a question about Riley.

"What?"

"Is there a sexual affair going on between you and Riley McDermott?"

Tony clinched his jaw, but relaxed himself, "No, and if there were it'd be mine and Miss McDermott's own business, you'd be smart to stay out of it."

The reporter retorted back and disappeared in the crowd when Tony suddenly heard her name being called behind him. He turned around in time to see a woman being helped out of a black Dodge Charger by a man in a tweed suit. The woman was Riley. But he was surprised in the least by her appearance. A form-fitting gray dress brought out a figure Tony didn't even know she had and stopped at mid-thigh, showing off two beautiful stems brought out by unique high-heels. Her orange hair had an extreme red tint to it now and stick straight, her bangs pinned at the top of her head and Tony could not make the effort to look away for the life of himself.

"Tony, come on." Pepper called, pulling on him slightly, "You can drool over Riley inside, come on." He obliged Pepper, no matter how much it pained him, and followed her inside and took a seat at a round table next to Rhodey. Tony didn't see Riley as the awards began, until about thirty minutes later.

Justin Hammer, saunted on stage as if he were better than every one else and he began speaking, "For the courage, and talent of a unique insight into the Afgan War we witnessed not three years ago, a recognition is finally being put into action." Tony picked up his glass of wine, and took a drink, "The terrifying day-by-day analasis and poetic description of the struggle and fight of the war our country is has been trying to end, I am honoured to present this prestegious and outstanding award to Miss Riley McDermott."

Everyone clapped and the beautiful red-head walked slowly up the steps and onto the stage. Justin smiled and kissed Riley's cheek and Tony's grip tightened around the glass as Justin rested his hand on her waist, all little too close to her ass and squeezed, making her jump slightly. Tony saw Pepper turn to him and her eyes widened.

"Tony, your hand!" He looked down at his hand, it was dripping with wine, shards of glass stuck out from his palm and blood began to seep out. Pepper grabbed a cloth napkin and set it on Tony's hand, "Come on," and he followed her into the bathroom as Riley thanked everyone for her award.

* * *

"Tony, what happened in there?" Pepper asked as she clean up the last bit of glass and blood from his hand.

Tony sighed, "I don't know, I mean I just saw Hammer kiss her, and then he touched her, and--"

"You got jealous."

"What? No, I'm not jealous."

"Oh, no I think you are." Tony shook his head, and Pepper raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, so maybe I am jealous." Tony said, squeezing his hand shut and wincing slightly. "So what?"

"Well, maybe you should do something about that." Pepper said as she began to walk out of the bathroom.

"What do you mean?" Tony asked, but she was already out the door. _Did she mean he should make a move towards Riley? Like she'd go for that, she wouldn't even let him kiss her last night. _

Tony looked at himself in the mirror for several minutes. He splashed a little water on his face and walked out of the bathroom, but he'd only gotten half-way out the door when he bumped into someone.

"Oh hey there, I'm Justin Hummer." He stuck out his hand, but Tony didn't shake it.

"Tony Stark," was all he said.

"Nice to meet you," Justin pulled back his hand awkwardly and tried to make conversation, "How about that Riley chick? She's one sexy bitch I'd like to tap once or twice, you know?" He laughed.

Tony's jaw clinched and he bit back any comments and any physical movement that would end up getting his ass in jail. So he just walked away and make his way back to his table.

The awards were soon over and everyone began mingling around, a few people were dancing to music being played softly in the background. Tony talked to couple of people but his main priority was to find Riley. And he quickly found her, oddly enough talking to Rhodey. He walked up behind Riley, but off to the side a little and Rhodey spotted him first.

"Hey, Tony." Riley turned around.

"Hey Rhodey, Riley, congratulations."

She smiled, "Thanks, uh, can I talk to you for a second?" Tony nodded, "Rhodey if you don't mind?"

"Of course not, Riley, I'll catch you two later." Riley nodded and turned to him.

"Have you checked the internet lately? Or any shitty tabloid magazines?"

"No, why?"

"Oh, because apparently I'm your new 'slut'."

"What?"

"Yeah, there was some photographer hiding and took pictures of us last night. Now everyone thinks we're together or something." So that was why that photographer asked him about Riley and him.

"Shit."

"Yeah, you're telling me." Riley scoffed and rubbed her forehead.

"Oh well, screw them."

"What?"

"Why do you care what others think?"

"I don't it's just-"

"Okay good, then don't worry." She sighed.

"I guess your right."

"Of course I am. And I must say, you look...so beautiful tonight. You really do." Tony smirked as Riley looked down slightly and blushed a slight pink.

"Thank you, you look rather dashing as well." Tony chuckled.

"Well thank you." Riley smiled. But it was quickly lost when a hand found it's way around her waist.

The smell of alcohol was apparent on Justin Hammer's breath and Tony stood two feet away, "Hey there baby, how 'bout me and you leave this party early and go to my place?" Tony was about to interfere when Riley beat him to the punch line.

"You know what? How about you fuck off?" Riley said, pushing herself from him.

"Oh, come on baby!"

"Leave her alone, Hammer." Tony stood in front of her and faced Justin.

"I'm so scared, Iron Man's going to get me! Ah!" Justin flung his arms up and around. "Oh what are you, her boyfriend?"

"Hey, you know what?" Riley began, "What if he is?" Tony internally smiled at this.

"Well Stark always gets the sluts so it wouldn't surprise me." And that's when Tony couldn't control it anymore. He pulled his fist back and knocked Justin straight in the jar and he could've sworn he heard a crack. Justin fell to floor and Riley grabbed Tony's arm.

"Come on before he gets back up." And they ran out of the building, through the photographers and reporters and into the lonely night.

Riley laughed, trying to catch her breath at the same time, "You—were brilliant—back—there."

"Thanks." Tony smirked, watching her breathing heavily, "You need to quick smoking."

"Tell me something I _don't _know, but, thanks for the concern."

"No problem." Riley sat down at a bench and began to take off her heels with much difficulty.

"Dammit, I hate heels."

"Here, let me." Tony bent down and took her foot in his hand and unfastened one and then the other; his hands working slowly, her slender ankle resting in his palm.

"Thank you, that feels so much better." Tony released her foot and stood to sit down next to her.

"How the hell could you wear those things and walk with that bad ankle of yours?"

"It was actually not that bad, but it wears on you quite a bit throughout the night." Riley leaned back and looked up at the buildings surrounding them. There was a silence between them for quite sometime, but they were both intrigued by looking at the somewhat beautiful scenery around them. But before long, Riley broke it, "So where does this leave us, Tony?"

He looked at her and saw her green eyes more green than before, "I hope it leads us to a few drinks at my place, but I don't know, what do you think?"

She smiled, "That sounds...very nice actually."

* * *

**Well? :)**


	7. I'm Leaving

"Oh come on."

"No, no it'll be fun, trust me."

"What are you, fifteen? _Huh, huh, come on guys let's play a drinking game bro."_ I rolled my eyes, the last time I played a drinking game I was a freshman in college.

"No, come one, just me and you, you and me..." Tony brought out a bottle of wine and two shot glasses. "It'll be fun."

I watched him for a moment, he had not a sign of suspecsion about his expression, his eyes quite wide, waiting for my answer. I sighed inwardly.

"Well," I stood and my bare-feet pattered on the floor as I bent down and checked out his alcohol stash, "if we're going to play a drinking game, we might as well get the," I pulled out a beautiful bottle of scotch, "good stuff. And good stuff this is, damn. 'Midleton Very Rare' this shit is _expensive_."

I sat back down next to him.

"Never actually got around to trying it."

"First time for everything. Now, what game are we playing?"

"Simple; each of us make a statement, take a shot if it applies to you." Wow, he's creative, I laughed. "You go first."

"I've never been with anyone for more than two months." We both took a shot, no surprise there.

"I lost my virginity in high school." Tony stated, he took a drink, and looked at me. I hesitated and took the shot trying not to think about that...fruitful experience.

"I have been branded by an ink gun." I took a shot, but Tony didn't. "You don't have any tattoos?"

"Nope, hate needles. But I am curious as to your tattoos, I'd love to see them."

"Yes, of course you would." I set the glass down and pulled the sleeve down from my left shoulder to show the quarter sized Chinese character. "It means creativity."

"Mmm, that's...cute?"

"Shut up, I got it when I was sixteen."

Tony laughed, "Okay, any other ones?" I almost sighed, thinking of how I'm going to show him a tattoo that was on my rib cage without flashing my boobs.

"I'll show you some other time."

"Oh come on-"

"Nope. You're turn."

* * *

The next day.

"_Mr. Stark, you have a call on line two."_ Tony was interrupted by his secretary inner-comming through the phone.

"Tell them I'm in a meeting." He said and began talking with Agent Coulsen again when the inner-com came on again.

"_Um, Mr. Stark, they said, and I quote 'I don't care if he's in a meeting. Get him on the damn phone, he's probably not even in a meeting anyway.'"_

Tony rolled his eyes, and quickly picked up the phone, "What is it?"

"_Oh, hello Riley, how are you? I'm good thanks, how are you Tony?"_

"Listen, I'm actually in a meeting here-"

She scoffed, _"Yeah sure."_

"An important meeting, Ri, why'd you call?" There was a silence, "Riley?" He looked up at Coulsen and spied a slight annoyed look on his face.

"_I shouldn't even have called you...I'll just-"_

"Riley, what's going on?"

"_...I'm in jail, I need you—someone to bail me out."_

"You're in jai-!" He spun around and the back of his chair faced Agent Coulsen. "You're in jail?" He said in a hushed tone.

"_...I figure I'd call you, I mean...yeah." _Riley sputtered out, stumbling over her words. _"I'll explain later, just—can you please?" _Tony heard a twinge of sadness and need in her voice.

"Where are you?" He heard her talking to someone and she then quickly returned to the phone.

"_Los Angeles police station on Froster street." _That station was located in the bad part of LA, making Tony's stomach lurch.

"All right, I'll be there in thirty minutes." Tony stood and was about to hang the phone up.

"_And Tony?"_

"Yeah?"

"_...Thank you." _Tony felt like sighing at the tone of her voice, he'd never heard her speak in such a way before. She spoke in such a way that sounded like she was stressed, but...well, Tony couldn't quite place the emotion he heard in her voice, but there was lots of it.

"No problem Riley, I'll be there soon just hang tight, and," he paused, making sure she was listening, "be careful." And he hung up.

"Mr. Stark-"

"I'll have to catch you another time, Coulsen." And he was out the door and on his way to LA.

* * *

"Hey, I'm here to post bail for Riley McDermott." Tony said to the receptionist.

"Oh, yes, let's see..." She typed on the computer, "Thirty-one hundred, Mr. Stark."

Tony slipped his sunglasses off, "Jesus Christ, what the hell did she do?"

"Let's see..." She said again as she typed away on her keyboard again, "Assaulting a police officer after being pulled over for suspected drunk driving."

_Holy Jesus Christ and all that is good..._Tony thought to himself as he reached into his jacket pocket and pulled out his wallet.

She swiped his card and handed back to him, "I'll go retrieve Miss McDermott." And she disappeared to the back of the station.

Tony surveyed the small, humbly shitty police station where a few people sat hand-cuffed to benches, tweeking on what ever drug got them in there. There were a couple police officers sitting at desks filling out paper work and the like. He noticed that he was _very _out of place standing by the front desk in his three piece suit and tie. He waited for about ten minutes and checking the time on his phone about ten thousand times before he finally saw that messy mop of red locks coming out from behind a raw wooden door. He started to smile, but it faultered when he saw the look on her face as she was escorted towards him by a cop who held a strong grip on her shoulder.

Her hands were still cuffed together behind her back. When she stood in front of Tony, the cop removed her cuffs and pushed her slightly towards him.

"Hey." Tony started but Riley gave him a look that just said 'Shut the fuck up and let's go.'

He subconsiously set his hand on the small of her back and led her outside.

"Explain, now." Tony slipped his sunglasses back on and looked at her. She sighed.

"I had to pick up my nephew, Staison, from school because my brother had to work or something. And we were going to catch a bite to eat when I got pulled over 'cause they thought I was smoking weed. The officer smelled the car and said it 'reeked of marijuana', stupid idiot. But he decided that was probable cause enough to search my car and...search..me." She looked everywhere but at Tony, anywhere she could as she avoided his gaze.

"Wait, so-"

"The fucker started feeling me up. Like, to the extreme, and in front of Staison, he's only seven, I had to do...something." She rapped her arms around her waist and held a look of needing comfort, but Tony didn't know how to comfort her with this anger puslating in his eardrums.

"Are—are you kidding me?" She shook her head, and so many thoughts ran through his mind, "Okay, just—hang on, I'll be right back." Tony walked into the building. Riley leaned against the side of the car for five minutes, picking at her nails when Tony finally immerged from the police station.

"What did you do?"

"Officer Johnson, is no longer 'Officer Johnson.'" Tony said standing in front of Riley. She looked at him for a moment and hugged him quickly.

"Thank you." She said into his chest. This surprised Tony so much he didn't even have time to react before she pulled back. "That um—didn't happen. Sorry, let's get going."

"Yes, good idea."

* * *

I felt humiliated, but I didn't care. I sat at my desk in the LA Times, staring into space. I had been reading 'Post Office' by Charles Bukowski but I'd set the book down a long while ago. I'd tried to just block everything out. The insident yesterday, Tony, my lacking of real inspiration. I hate this right now. I just feel like nothing, at all. And when I start to feel like this, who else is there to comfort and distract me?

Steve.

"Riley, what's the best way to explain the homeless stature of the city?"

"Riley, how's your mother doing?"

"Riley, want to write a poem or two?"

I loved how he was always there. But this time, I just had too much on this balance beem and the left side, filled with unknown thoughts and feelings for this attraction that I cannot believe or explain, was weighted down ten times more than the right side which held, well—everything else.

I needed to just...get away.

My phone was ringing. It was ringing. Fucking ringing.

Five rings. Six.

"What is it?" I spoke into the phone, I was not in the mood for this.

_"Miss Riley McDermott?"_

Sounded like an official, what did I do now? "Yes?"

_"Hello, my name is Deston Gallehgar."_

"You're a writer."

_"Mmhmm, and I was strongly wanting to know if I could have the honor of being your biographer."_ And I sat there.

"What?"

_"You heard me, I want to be you biographer. Would you like to set up an interview so I might be able to formally explain what I wish to accomplish?"_

"Uh—sure."

And we made that interview, he lived in New York.

An idea struck me. I needed to get away, I could fly to New York, my mother lives there and I could get away from all this, if not for just a month. And it had taken me no more than thirty seconds to make the decision to travel to New York for the next month, and I would be off on a plane in two days.

* * *

It's been a while, terribly sorry. But...review?


	8. All Damn Month

**Hey, guys, I feel I should apologize for that last chapter, I don't know what I was smoking when I wrote such a shitty thing like that, I'll hopefully re-write it sometime in the future, but here's a new chapter for your pleasure. I promise you'll like it. :)**

**Warning: There is some drug use, and sexually explicit content so this chapter is rated M.**

**Enjoy.**

**

* * *

**

My mother raised my brother and I up on her own in a beautiful, but quaint cottage home that belonged to my grandmother that sat just three miles out of the big city. She adored this home, as did I, she'd make it a duty of hers to make sure the house never did look too shabby and it was no surprise to me that she was still living there in her ripe age of 50. There were Harold Coderre White Flowers surrounding the front of the house, along with a few small bushes that looked like miniature Christmas trees. I was surely positive that the garden out back was still festering in it's richness.

The few steps that led to the porch were slightly difficult to walk up since I was now using my cane to get around. My leg had become immobile through the two and a half days drive here. I knocked on the door, and thought of how odd it was, knocking on my own door.

And when that door opened and I saw my mum standing there, her beautiful red hair flowing over the shoulders of a brown and green dress, I almost got teary eyed.

"Oh, m' dear!" Her Irish accent still so thick after all these years in the United States. She rapped her arms around my shoulders and hugged me tight. She smelled of cinnamon and dirt from which I figured she'd gotten from working in her garden. Pulling back she eyed me with her gorgeous blues, "Come in, angel eyes, I've someone for you t' meet."

My mother led me into the house, everything was exactly in the same arrangement, though the old furniture had been replaced by new. Into the kitchen I followed her, thankfully she went slow for me. And I saw a man sitting at the table, a mug in his hand.

"Tom, I want you to meet my youngest, Riley." The man turned to face us, a handsome man, though he had a large amount of wrinkles on his face.

"Oh, it's a pleasure to meet you, you're mother tells me _so_ much about you." Tom spoke with a musky, and low voice, and I really liked it.

"Only terrible things, I hope." I shook his hand. And Tom laughed, nodding his hand.

"She was right too, you are the charming one." I looked at my mother and she smiled innocently, laugh lines appearing around her mouth.

I rolled my eyes, _Ol' Ma... _

We sat at the table and talked 'till it was dark and Tom had left for the night. There wasn't a TV in the house, Ma couldn't ever stand them, so her and I sat on the couch, under a blanket I'm pretty sure I knitted when I was younger, next to the fire, listening to the radio. I could tell my her quietness that Ma wanted to know the real reason as to why I was here, because I usually come about once a year if not once every two years. And I'd always come to just wind down when my big life in LA would become too stressful, and I'm not very good with dealing with stress. But this time was different, and she knew it.

"Just ask me, Ma." She looked at me with a surprised look and I gave her that look.

"Is there something else going on, Riley? Anythin' at all, y'know ye can talk to me 'bout an'thin'."

"I know, Ma, it's just...there are somethings that can't be put into words."

She rolled her eyes, "Oh, my Riley could always find a way t' put anythin' in words, that's your gift." I sighed, leaning my head back. I should tell her about Tony, but what would she say? She'd probably tell me to let time figure things out, it's bad luck to start relationships after only a month of knowing each other. I know that's what she'd say. "It's about a man, relationships have always confused you." I nodded, that woman knows me so well. "What's 'is name?"

"Tony."

"Tell me about 'im."

I sighed inwardly, looking at the ceiling, his image falling into my mind. "He's handsome, very suave and clean-cut. Dark brown hair and brown eyes. Copiously smart as well, in certain areas more so than others, and a prodigious head." My mother nodded, I loved talking to my mum, I didn't have to censor or dumb down my words because she always understood what I was saying, "I wrote an article over him for the Times, only meeting him once he was a complete jackass to me so I was a complete jackass in the article. But I've gotten to know him, and now...I can't seem to get that pompous, sharp voice of his out of my head.

"He's a sure fire, I know. And he obviously enjoys my company as much as I do, because we've gone together a few times, but I don't know if a relationship with him is really good for me, you know?"

She nodded again, and was silent for a while. "You love him, don't you?" This didn't catch me by surprise, but it made me think. I thought for a minute or so and I nodded.

"I've never felt like this before about a guy."

"Well, what about Christopher?" I almost laughed out-loud, but I knew she wouldn't appreciate that very much.

"Chris was...a high-school/college off and on fling Ma, I never did love him. Well, I did, but not like this." She doesn't understand my struggling words, and neither do I unless I make a metaphor. "The love I had for Christopher was just infatuation. Our infatuation pushed against each other, like two hands; one trying to overpower the other and vise-versa, in the end all they were doing was countering each other's strength with their own, resisting it. That's why I always went back to him. But I finally got tired of it."

"An' what of this love for this Tony fellow?"

"I feel like the only way to explain it is an unspoken bond that I felt and tried to ignore, I really did. It's knawing at my heels, Ma...it's so hard to understand."

Ma rubbed my back, "Just give it time, inín." I loved it when she called me that, it's was gaelic for daughter, it was her first language as she'd grew up in Ireland, I knew it very well as well, thought there were some phrases I couldn't quite grasp.

"I will, Ma, thanks." I smiled and got up, feeling a tad tired from the long day.

I'd layed in my old bed for about an hour, tossing and turning. Not only had _I _returned home, but my insomnia had returned too. I got up and looked though my sock drawer for a pack of cigarettes I knew I'd buried deep inside when I was seventeen. My hand finally felt the thin card board box and I pulled out a pack of those thin cigars that left a mint after-taste, Cloves. I haven't had one of these in so long.

I opened the window and lit one up with a small match. I inhaled, my lungs sighed with the release of pleasure. Oh, this was so much of what I never needed. These exact cigarettes were the ones that got me hooked to the taste and addiction of nicotine when I was just a sophomore in high school. I'd have Chris to thank for that.

I finished the first one and lit another. What kind of life am I going to lead when I get back to LA, smoking fifty fags a day, and without a man to call my own? I'll die a lonely Irish Bitch who yells at children who prank call her or walks on her lawn. I'm not content with that, but I should have re-newed myself far earlier than this.

I heard murmurs in the room next to mine, I put out the cigarette and rushed silently over to the wall that separated my room from my mother's, if I remembered correctly. If I pressed my ear against the wall I could hear perfectly.

"I'm worried 'bout 'er Tom, she always comes over when she needs help with stress but it's so much more than tha'." Ma said, her voice earnest and calm.

"Is she sick at all? She looked like she was a little weak earlier today." I heard Tom ask, he must have came over after I'd gone to my room, but hearing him say this brought a knot in my throat.

"Oh, I don't know. She does cough an awful lot."

"I'll have to take a look at her tomorrow," Oh, yes, that's right; he's a doctor. "But for now, let's get some rest darling."

And by 'rest', he most likely meant 'fondle 'till we can't fondle no more.'

I decided I should try to get some sleep, but I had to smoke at least one more before that would even be an option. When I'd finally gotten layed down I had this dull aching in my chest, but I ignored it and fell into a dream-less sleep.

The next week went by fast; Tom had told me to see a doctor basically because my breathing and cough sounded like an old man's. I rolled my eyes at that, and told him I would later, when I probably wouldn't at all. Doctor's are a waste of my money.

I met up with Deston Gallehgar and he interviewed me, much to my displeasure and he said he'd start with the book in a few months. I got the impression that he figured I was a very mysterious and cryptic being, and that alone made me laugh, but it was all a matter of perception and opinion.

On Wednesday night, I got a phone call from Tony, but I didn't answer. He left a voice mail asking if I wanted to get together for a sushi dinner, I love sushi, but I didn't want to talk to him at the moment. I was afraid that if I talked to him, it'd loose sight of how I felt about him.

Thursday I spent time in the study looking through books I'd read as an adolescent teenager. All the classics I could think of, rare books I'd spent my page-check, from waitress at Donny's Cafe, on. Hundreds of novels and series, I was surprised I was such a social person as I was, with all these wonderful books I could be locked up in the room for days at a time.

On the north wall, on the very top self held a book called, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov. It was printed in French, another language I knew very well. But this copy was hollowed out, and inside was a syringe and a vile. Seeing this made my palms sweat, but I held the book close to me as I brought it back to my room and waited for night.

As it just turned midnight, I filled the syringe with the white liquid and I thought, _am I really doing this? a_s I punctured my thin vein with the needle, releasing the stimulant into my body.

My mood changed drastically and my eyes burned, feeling like they were bleeding from the core and I felt horny. I heard footsteps in my room, footsteps everywhere. I hid under my blanket shaking and crying. Sweat dripping from my forehead and I flew into the ground, dropping a thousand feet from the top of a bridge where suicide was daily but I saw my floor, the red carpet was thick with blood. My body curled into the fetal position and shook for hours.

As I was coming down from my high I grabbed a pencil and paper and began to write.

On Saturday I went to New York City for some shopping. I ran into a few old friends, I even ran into Christopher. He asked me to his apartment later that night for dinner, and I couldn't help but say yes to his unruly and disheveled appearance that had always attracted me to him.

When I told my mother she was over-joyed and even offered to drive me over.

"I'm a big cailín, Mum." I'm a big girl, I told her.

It was seven when I got to his apartment, we watch an old movie that we used to watch together and ordered Chinese take-out. We finished eating and the movie was over but we started it again as Chris began making unnecessary comments, flattering me.

"You have such a beautiful complexion, Ri." I only liked a certain few people to call me that, and he wasn't one of them.

"Thank you, Christopher." We kissed. And then we made out. He tried to hit second base before I called it off and headed for the door.

He followed me. "Sorry about that Riley." I didn't say anything as I stood with my back to him and I actually contemplated turning around and kissing him again. And I did. I turned right back around and kissed him with so much force, he almost fell over. He picked me up like a bride in a movie and walked to his bedroom, kissing me the whole time.

I didn't leave until ten AM the next morning.

The next two weeks went by slowly but painlessly, I wrote my articles and emailed them in. Ignored Tony's call, twice. Shot up about every other night, I know that I must stop doing this shit, but I'll stop when I get back to LA next week. I saw Christopher on a Saturday, I only saw him for the satisfaction of knowing that I could, after all these years. I'm a sick human-being and I know it. But when I was with him, having sex with him...I wished I was with Tony. I wished for it so badly that I'd actually fooled myself into believing it was the unmistakable man. And I'd caught myself several times before I'd let out a sigh of his name as Christopher stroked my breasts. I pictured Tony stroking me, loving me. Every time Christopher thrust into me, it felt like Tony, making love to me.

Christopher was a right catch, don't get me wrong, but he was just no Tony.

* * *

The last week in New York I spent with my mum and Tom. They were engaged and getting married next year, I was to be the Braid's Maid and my brother would be the Best Man. I couldn't wait, I could tell that they really loved each other, I was somewhat jealous that they were so sure of themselves that they would want to spend the rest of their lives together.

I helped my mother with the garden and she made me an amazing dinner on my last night there. And I left her with a hug and kiss on each cheek.

"I want t' meet this Tony fellow, Riley!" Ma yelled as I stepped into the car.

"We'll see Ma, I love you!" And I left, without feeling the least bit satisfied. "What the hell am I going to do now?"

After fifteen hours of driving I got a call from an unknown number.

"Riley McDermott."

_"Yup! You're ignoring me!"_ Oh, god. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not ignoring you."

"_Yes, you are, you're ignoring me. I've called you like ten times this past month and you _never_ answered, but oh! Now when I call you on a different phone you answer. I see how it is."_ Tony ranted on through the phone, I sighed.

"I haven't been ignoring you, I've just been trying to...find myself, however superficial that may sound."

_"Well where have you been?"_

"...New York."

_"New York? What the hell have you been doing in New York?"_ Why was he overreacting like this?

"My mom lives here, asshole. I'm driving, I'll talk to you later." And I hung up, I hate it when people blow up on me like that, so I just stop talking to them, like so.

He called back again but I didn't answer.

An hour later I was in Chicago when Tony called me again. I was not going to blow up at him. I was not going to blow up at him. I was not going to blow up at him. I was not going to blow up at him.

"What do you want?"

_"Hey, where are you?"_

"W—what? Why?"

_"Don't ask why, just tell me."_

"I'm in Chicago..."

_"Okay, see you in a bit."_

"Wha-" and he hung up. "What?"

I kept driving through Chicago, looking for a cafe to relax in when I heard a funny soft humming like a plane that sounded above me and I suddenly saw a red blur fly past my car and then it stopped and landed about 500 feet in front of my car. I screeched to a halt, my car lurching towards the right slightly. And who else would it be, but Tony effing Stark.

"Ughughh!" I grunted and screamed slightly in aggravation. I threw my seat belt off and stepped halfway out of the car. "I. Will. Run. You. Over."

The helmet lifted from his face, "Just listen to me, Riley."

I laughed, "Oh sure...What is it you have to say?"

"I just wan-"

"Oh wait, I don't care. Now move, or I'll run you over." I hopped back in my car but Tony stood in front, blocking anyway of moving. So I just sat there, looking at him, him looking at me, and pedestrians on the sidewalks watching us like free film.

"This is unnecessary. Completely unnecessary, Tony!" I yelled as I jumped out of my car and limped towards him as his suit began to compress until he suddenly wore no armour and it was concealed in a compact case at his feet.

That was new.

"I just want to talk."

"You flew across America in your little suit...to _talk _to me?" He nodded, smiling a little. "What do you have to say?"

His smile got a little bigger, "I love you," he said breathlessly.

People gasped around me, I almost fell over. I leaned against my car for support, did I just hear that?

"Wha—what did you just say?" I asked, breathing heavily.

Tony smiled walking closer to me. "I. Love. You."

I still could not wrap my brain around this. Tony...loved me? What?

I looked up at him, he walked closer and I put my hand on his chest, but before I could ask why, he kissed me. He KISSED me. His lips on mine, mine on his and I heard 'aws!' and 'ohs!' from the people around us. I could do nothing but kiss him back, because hell, this is what I've been wanting all month.

* * *

**Well?**


	9. Going So Right, But So Wrong

I sat cross-legged on my counter, I was dangling an unlit cigarette connected to a small holder from my lips. My eyes were closed and I breathed in and out, in and out. Every ten minutes I'd open my eyes and see my cat looking back at me, he'd meow and motion his head towards the ice box where I had wrote down a number of a doctor on an old receipt from the liquor store and stuck it on there with a banana magnet. I'd roll my eyes, telling Cornelius that I'm fine...but that number still lingered in my mind, in bold numbers it'd linger.

It was ten in the morning, Tony would be picking me up soon to take me to the Times. My precious BMW had taken it's last breath last week, but as sad as it was, I really needed a new fucking car. And in the meantime, Tony was my unofficial schofer.

I was going to branch out from the Los Angeles Times, go free-lance, and start on a book that I've been wanting to write since college. But when I'd woken up this morning, it was not by some natural awakening, no alarm clock. I couldn't fucking breath and I'd been up since five this morning sitting on the counter, trying to calm myself; I didn't want to worry Tony.

And speak of the devil, I heard the door open and shuffling in the front room. About a week ago Tony and I had exchanged keys, because, well what's the point of knocking nowadays?

I sat still, eyes closed, humming in my mind. I heard Tony enter the kitchen but he stayed silent. Opening one eye, I spied him leaning against the door frame, his hair tousled making him look like he was sexy or something. And he just leaned there, staring at me, so I closed my eye and started back with my "meditation."

I then felt Tony's hands, or what I'd hope be _Tony's_ hands, wrap around my shoulders. I kept my eyes closed as Tony kissed me so soft like ginger and I had to remind myself to breath through my nose a little. He pulled away.

"Good morning," he told me.

"Morning." I said as I jumped off the counter and walked from the kitchen to my room, Tony following me. "So, I was reading yesterday that interview you did for Time Magazine and the article David Otella wrote over you." In my room I grabbed a pair of jeans and a shirt.

"And?"

"I felt like I was reading an article about myself." I laughed, and walked into the bathroom to change. I pulled off my shorts and tank-top.

"You know I got interviewed for that the day we, uh, kissed, so it was hard for me to actually focus on anything _but _you." I rolled my eyes as I slipped on my jeans, one leg at a time. As I slipped my shirt on a strong pain in my chest that made my knees buckle in the paining sting and I had to grip the side of the sink. I held myself there for a second before it went away.

"Play up to everyone, why don't you Tony?" I laughed and opened the door. Tony was smiling and he enveloped my waist in his arms.

"It's true though, I think the world of you." I smiled, kissing him on the cheek and slipping from his grasp.

"Come on, let's go."

* * *

"So, babe, what's this book of yours going to be about?" Tony asked as we were having dinner at iHop that night.

"Oh, I can't tell you that _dear_." I told him, stressing the last bit, as I sipped on some coffee.

"Not even your boyfriend?"

"Nope, can't tell him either." I pulled a Clove from my purse and lit it with a small match, and I averted my gaze from Tony's, because I hated that look he gave me every time I smoked. He hated it, absolutely hated it, but he dealt with it. It wasn't the smoke or the smell, it was the fact that it was I who was smoking, that's what bothered him.

"Well, can you tell me the moral of it?"

I thought for a second, "It's about finding yourself, figuring out what your supposed to be doing on this...earth."

He smiled, "I'll be the first to read it, right?"

"Oh, of course." Tony smiles and I finished my cigarette a few minutes later.

I got the pack out again and was about to pull out another one when Tony snatches the whole pack from my hands like a sloppy bandit.

"Tony?"

"No, I don't want to see another cigarette in your mouth for at least the rest of the night." He said as he stuffed the pack in his pocket and I sat there stunned.

"What are you, my mom? Come on, Tony..." I reached my hand out, asking for the cigarettes.

"Nope." He said, popping the 'p' and went back to eating. I know he's trying to look out for me and everything, but maybe if he gave me a warning or something. I stayed silent in my seat, and picked at my food. "Come now, Riley, don't be that way"

"Why shouldn't I be, you just took my fucking cigarettes?" I laughed, waving my hands in the air to get my point across.

"Do you know how many cigarettes you've smoked today?" This question caught me off guard. I haven't the slightest clue... "Nineteen."

...Have I really? I paused for a second, just looking at the ground, "I really need to stop, don't I?" He nodded.

"I sure would help with that cough of yours too, because trust me, it's not attractive, at all." I chuckled.

"Oh really, 'cause that was my only tactic of sexual appeal, damn." And Tony and I laughed.

* * *

Tony led me up the stairs to his house, and the moment that door was shut Tony had me pinned against it, kissing me like there was no tomorrow, a Calvary was on our tail, and 2012 was just around the corner. And what more could I do, then kiss him back?

He carried me to his bedroom and set me down, my toes curling on the cold ground. Tony pulled his shirt off and revealed to me, his chest and the unique blue glow of the arc reactor right in the middle of his chest. This would be the first time I've ever seen it, it felt like glass under my hand and the light spilled through my fingers. I smiled at him and he sat down on the bed.

Tony's experienced fingers unbuttoned my jeans and pulled them down slowly to my ankles, leaving me in my underwear. His hands pressed against the skin of my thighs, elegantly smooth, swimming elegance, and I was glad I'd shaved my legs the night before. He pulled my shirt off and I stood in front of him, half-naked but with not half a mind; I'd never been self-conscious, not that I thought I was better than every other bitch out there, but I just felt no need to care what every other bitch out there thought.

Tony ran his hand over the tattooed words inked into the skin on my left rib-cage.

"_Different words for the same thing. Same goal, but different means. If I could say what I did, I'd do what I say, but you must be awake to hear it right._" Tony read out-loud, "I like it, it suits you."

I smiled as he kissed my skin, I leaned down, and trapped his lips in mine. In mine for the rest of the night.

* * *

Where was the air? I need air...I was pulled violently out of my mind's sleep and I took a deep, wheezing breath. Tony's arms tightened around me at the sudden movement and I slowly peeled his biceps and triceps from my skin and slipped on some underwear and a shirt, I didn't know who's shirt, but a shirt. The sun was just rising so it gave me the light I needed as I quietly made it to the bathroom and was thrown into a coughing fit.

I could not stop coughing, this pain in my chest burned with intensity and I felt my throat strain against the air I kept heaving out, coughing it raw. Then before I knew it, Tony's beautifully clean, white polished sink was stained and convulsed with the thick, dark red aqueous substance I'd hacked up.

I wheezed in and out, in and out. I rested my forehead on the cold stone on the counter and counted the seconds until the pain in my chest seized. In and out, in and out.

It took ten minutes before it'd finally come to a standstill and I lifted my head to the mirror, my eyes meeting my own reflection.

"What are you doing to yourself Riley?" I whispered hoarsely. My reflection responded, much to my not sheer and absolute surprise.

"_You're killing yourself, you dimwitted simpleton."_

"No, no, no..." I groaned and fell down to the tile, my nerves not even taking notice to the bitter temperature. I don't know how long I sat there, but the next thing I heard was the stumbling of Tony's feet and his voice outside the bathroom door.

"Shit, shit, _shit!_" I scrambled up from the floor and turned on the sink, washing the blood down the drain.

"Riley, are you okay?" Tony's voice asked from behind the door.

"Y-yeah, just washing my face." I said as I slashed some water on my cheeks, hopefully bringing down the bright flush in them. I opened the door and smiled at his half-naked body in the doorway.

"Good, because I have to use the facilities, pronto."

I laughed and closed the door behind him. My body found it's way to the bed and layed down on it. I heaved the biggest sigh I could.

How could my life be going so right, but going so wrong?

* * *

**Well?**

**Anyone have an idea as to what the heck's going on with Riley?**


	10. Hunter S Thompson, Keep Me Alive

**Hey, hey, thanks for my beautiful reviews, thank you. :) Here's the tenth chapter for you, I'm sure you'll like it. But before you read it, here's some background information. **

**Riley met Gonzo journalist/author Hunter S. Thompson when he spoke at Berkeley her freshman year. They befriended each other and he inspired her to become a journalist. Hunter S. Thompson is an actual person, well, used to be and Riley found and still finds him as a role model for her.**

**And now that you know that, enjoy.**

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On my way home from the car dealership I knew that I was going insane. I knew it, because sitting in the seat next to me, was Hunter. Hunter fucking Thompson. I looked over and saw that tacky ass Hawaiian shirt, khaki shorts, aviator glasses, and his silly hat, a cigarette dangling from his lips in a small holder, similar to my own. He looked younger, like he was in his mid-thirties. I'd only ever met his when he was in his mid-fifties, and known him for ten years before he blew his brains in Colorado. He didn't say anything, and I tried to ignore him, because shit, he wasn't really there. He couldn't be. He wasn't there at all, and I'm going fucking insane.

I looked over again and he was looking at me. I quickly looked back to the road, and I heard him chuckle. Okay, wow, this isn't happening.

"Riley McDermott."

I breathed in, shaking my head. "Hunter Thompson."

"You're sick, you need to get yourself to the fucking hospital."

"I'm fine." I didn't want to look at him, I couldn't.

"Oh quit sloshing around in denial, you're such a relentless little bitch." Oh, how I missed his charming words. I laughed. "Was I the only one in your boyfriend's bathroom when you were hacking up three pints of blood into his sink, or was that just my old imagination deceiving me?"

I rubbed my eyes, turning a corner rigidly, "Well fuck, Hunter, what am I supposed to do?"

"You want to know what you're supposed to do?" Hunter began moving his arms and body in radical ways, "You are going to go to the hospital with your boy and get yourself fixed up, then you're going to write, write, write like the fantastic mother fucking Riley McDermott that I used to know!"

Sighing, I pulled into a rest stop and sat there.

"Riley, now Riley, you have to do that, you don't want to end up a dead broad with no legacy at only thirty years old. Right now, your sodium level is declining .69% every hour, you've lost thirty-seven pounds in the past three weeks. You've been coughing up blood, shit, that would be enough to scare me into going to the hospital. Shit, Goddamnit, Riley, you're not going to kill yourself."

"I don't want to kill myself, Hunter, but how am I going to pay for the hospital?" I screamed, my voice so hoarse and scratchy. I ran my hands through my hair, feeling the oil build-up near my scalp.

"If you tell your boy about this, I'm sure he'd be more than happy to keep his gal alive. I know I would do it, but I can't. 'Cause I'm fucking dead." Hunter said, his cigarette was lit and he inhaled but I smelt no smoke.

I sighed again. I'm going to be dead if I don't do something. "Okay, Hunter."

"No, I don't want an '_okay_', Riley McDermott does not say '_okay_'! Riley McDermott, what does Riley McDermott say?"

"Fucking all right, Hunter, I'm going to keep myself alive!" And then he smiled, inhaling smoke from his cigarette.

"Damn straight, kid." Hunter began to take his sunglasses off and proceeded to hand them to me. I reached for them, but before I could wrap my hands around the yellow shades he had disappeared. Disappeared completely.

I sat, looking at the passenger's seat where he had just been, and sighed. I put the car in gear and began to drive towards Stark Industries.

* * *

I walked slowly through the lobby, and didn't give a fuck who saw me in my ratty jeans and tye-dyed shirt. I spotted Rhodey in his beautiful military suit talking to somebody, and as I approached him I began coughing roughly and that pain basically crushed my insides all at once. Rhodey turned around and his eyes widened at the blood dripping from my hand, I leaned against a chair as my legs became quiescent in a sudden three seconds.

"Riley!" He ran over to me and his wild, worried eyes were the last thing I'd seen before the pain literally blinded me and that's all I could acknowledge; that stinging, burning pain in my chest. I heard yelling, deep voices, high voices, I tried to single out a voice that I wanted to hear. I wanted to hear Tony's voice, but I could not hear it. I was being lifted up, and the voices were everywhere, convulsing me and consuming the air around me. And suddenly I heard Hunter's voice out of that beauty of sheer darkness.

"_Open your eyes, kid." _

I opened one eyelid at a time, and I saw Tony, his dark brown hair sticking up like razors, stressed hands having ran through it. He wasn't looking at me though, someone was talking to him and he was listening, intuitively. It was a medic, and I was in a bed, in an ambulance. And then I thought, geez isn't this a little much? I'd only just coughed up a bit of blood.

I tried to move but then that pain shot through my entire body and I let out a yelp. Squeezing my eyes shut, I completely fainted from the discomfort and immense pain.

. . .

There was this odd, uncomfortable feeling of consciousness and awareness as I heard the beep, beep, beep of a heart monitor I had actually never heard before until this moment. And I didn't know what to do. I heard quiet talking around me, two male voices and the monitor in the background.

I slowly opened my eyes and saw Liam sitting on the corner of the bed I was lying in. I looked over and I saw Tony, sitting next to the bed in a chair talking to my brother. They were talking about rugby. So typical of Liam. And then he saw me.

"Look look," Liam said, smiling, "Good mornin', Ri."

Tony turned his head toward me and smiled, holding my hand and caressing my cheek with his thumb.

"Hey." He said.

"Hey." I told him, my voice sounding aged. If I looked close enough, I could see Tony's eyes tear up, but I figured it was just my mind playing with me.

"You've given us quite the scare, little sister."

"I'm sorry..." I choked out, squeezing Tony's hand.

And suddenly a doctor walked in. He was a handsome thing, but nothing compared to this beast of a man holding my hand next to me.

"Oh, good, you're awake." I smiled slightly and sat up. "While you were unconscious CT scans and x-rays were taken of your chest."

"Do I want to undergo the prognosis?" I asked, uncertain of my own words.

He sighed, oh shit. "Well, it was decided after observation of myself and a fellow doctor that you are now in the mid second and third stages of lung cancer." I knew it. Liam rubbed his hands on his face, and Tony remained silent. "I am to explain the condition you're in, and offer you all possible procedures we will take from this point. The second stage of lung cancer is when the cancer is confined to only the lung area, the third stage being that of larger and more invasive tumors and you are right about in the second stage, about crossing the edge to the third.

"Procedures that can be taken from here, we can do surgery to remove the tumor, we can treat the cancer through chemotherapy, or radiation. As I'm sure you are aware of the details-"

"Surgery. I want surgery, just take this fucking cancer out of me." The doctor nodded.

"I'll go get a nurse and fill out the paper work. And if you begin to feel any pain in your chest at all, you let a nurse know and we'll get you something for it." And he left with nothing more. I looked at Tony who was looking at the ground. I knew I had to talk to him, if only Liam weren't there. I looked up at him and he nodded, I loved how close we were that we knew what the other was thinking just by a look.

"I'm going to call Stacy." And he left the room to call his wife.

I looked back at Tony.

"Tony, I'm so sorry." His eyes met mine, and he released his grip on my hand. He ran his fingers through his hair.

"Riley..." Tony looked at me and brushed every strand of hair from my face. "I'm not gonna to loose you."

I shook my head, "You aren't. I still have another fifty years in me, this is just a...rough patch, for lack of a better phrase."

"I know." He smiled, making me smile.

"I love you." His eyes widened slightly, for this was the first time I'd ever said that to him. Tony held my hand in his.

"I love you too."

"Riley! Tony!" I heard a high pitched voice yell and in ran dearest Pepper, gasping for breath. Happy ran in behind her, putting a hand on Pepper's back as she breathed in and out. I laughed slightly.

"Riley! Are you all right? Rhodey told me about what happened, and I didn't know what to think and-"

"I'm fine, Pepper, just a bit of cancer, that's all."

"Oh, oka- cancer? Are you going to be okay?"

I nodded, suddenly feeling very weak.

"She'll be having surgery soon." Tony spoke for me. Pepper nodded and sat in the chair by the window, Happy sitting next to her.

I started coughing, it wasn't a very large fit, but it made my stomach and chest ache like never before.

As I was coughing I hit Tony's arm with my hand telling him that I was in pain and I needed something. He realized this and asked Pepper to get a nurse.

When the nurse came in she brought a large syringe with her. She injected it into my IV that I just now noticed I had sticking in my arm. Soon the pain eased and I breathed heavily, looking at the ceiling.

And all I could think of, was: I don't know if I can do this anymore...


	11. Decharacterization

**Quick note, 50+ reviews. YES! YES! YES! Not much of an accomplishment, but yes! I'm proud of myself and my lovely reviewers. Let's shoot for 100? **

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I woke to the sound of thunder and rain bouncing off the window, normally I'd sleep like a sloth in this weather, but for some unknown reason my body didn't want to. And it seems to be the exact opposite for Tony as he quietly snored in a chair next my bed. He was slouched sideways and his head was leaning back against the back of the chair, I'm sure his neck would hurt when he woke.

My mind suddenly began racing and ideas sparked off one another, I quickly grabbed the pen and paper that Pepper had left for me.

I wrote for about an hour before it started to lighten in the room, though rain still poured down. I pulled the blanket off and slipped out of the bed, it was a shock for my legs to walk after two days in bed but they got used to it and I dragged my IV along with me as I walked out of my room and down the hall slowly. I was glad the hospital had given me a top and comfy bottoms instead of that paper thin, well, paper gown. I suspect that would be Tony's doing.

I turned right, then left and I found myself in a hall way of windows over-looking the city and the rainy sky. I leaned my forehead against the window and watched the fat drops of water hit the window, bursting into lines that look like road maps. My breath fogged a circle in the glass and I drew a frowning face and laughed, thinking of that Jason Mraz song.

"Oh, I won't hesitate," I sang softly to myself, "no more, no more...I cannot wait...I'm yours." I giggled and sighed, feeling the dull pain in my chest again, but it subsided slightly and I could handle just ignoring it for the moment. All I could think about was Tony, and how much I wish I were in his mind right now, thinking his calm and soothing thoughts. My mind was a wreck right now, and I couldn't stop thinking for one second, but I had to at least try and collect myself in placid urges.

I began to walk again, wandering around. After thirty minutes I found myself in a lounge room with two old men with cancer spots on their necks and balding heads playing cards, a woman in a wheel chair with hair like a bird's nest and lips a red as an old English Telephone booth (you know, the bright red ones?), and a normal but classy man and woman sitting and reading magazines. The room filled me with this overwhelming sense of depression and sickening exhaust. But in the corner I spied a piano placed against the wall, it has been some time since I've played, but it would be a great way to relax myself.

I sat myself down on the bench and began to play some simple measures for a while, focusing all my energy and attention to the black and white keys, leaving no room for anything gray. I was so determined in teaching myself to play piano, I remember Tony telling me he had done the same when he was younger. I began to play a small tune that came to my mind at the moment, improvising when I needed to.

Suddenly, I felt someone sit next to me on the bench. I continued playing as I looked up and saw Tony sitting next to me. I smiled slightly, his eyes so dark as he looked upon me. His eyes, I loved them.

My eyes shut themselves as my fingers moved over the keys, and a single thought pushed it's way through all the others in my mind.

What if I am going to die?

Tears began to swell up in my eyes, but I didn't let them fall.

My fingers quit playing and I sighed, and watched Tony stand. He led me back to the room but I didn't lay in the bed, I only stood in the middle that small room and the tears fell from my eyes, there was nothing inside of me.

"Hey, hey, Riley..." Tony tried to comfort me, but I flinched away from him and pushed myself against the wall and slid to the floor, clutching my stomach and I cried silently. Tony sat down next to me and held me whispering his strong, optimistic words.

* * *

Tony sat, his head in his hands as Pepper told him he needed to leave the hospital and head back to Stark Industries, because he was the CEO after all. Tony shook his head telling her no, and that he needed to be here with her. Tony did leave for several hours yesterday as he was needed in the eastern part of the world.

Pepper sighed in frustration but left quietly, leaving Tony and Riley.

He looked upon her, her orange hair like fire against the white pillow case. She would be going into surgery in an hour, and she'd completely broken down not five hours ago. Tony did his best to calm her, but he didn't know how to calm himself when they would wheel her out of the room and operate on her. He couldn't stand the thought of Riley being cut open, poked, and prodded. But it was the only thing that would save her.

Pulling a few strings, he was able to get her into surgery earlier than they would've normally scheduled her, three weeks and the cancer would have spread far too much to be removed by then.

As the doctor's came in and took Riley to the operating room, Tony began to think of how much his life has changed in the past four months.

He'd been faced with destruction and hell, he realized that who he was was not who he should be, and he met a sharp, red-headed journalist who made him know that it was not impossible for him to actually care for someone more than just signing their pay-check. And to hit such an extreme mental difficulty so sudden, it was overwhelming, so very overwhelming.

Tony thought about how different the situation has put the two in, how different they've become. Tony became the stressful, worrying boyfriend and Riley became the depressed, weak girlfriend. They weren't like that, they weren't like that at all. They were both sarcastic and overbearing, this cancer had de-characterized them, and Tony could not wait until they were back to their normal selves again. And he wasn't going home until Riley could come home with him.

* * *

_I was 18 again, waitressing at Donny's Cafe. My vision was clear as day as I looked upon the restaurant. My hair was longer and held it's natural curl it used to have, it was bright and rich orange as I smiled into the mirror. I was dressed in the uniform black and a name tag on my left breast telling me I was 'Riley'. And I served the customers, giving them their coffee. I loved talking to them as well, I loved learning about people and how they feel, and it was a pleasure doing it again._

_And that's when a tall man with graying hair walked into the cafe. I don't know why he took my interest so suddenly, but something about him seemed so familiar. He walked up to the counter and I smiled at him._

"_Hello, how are you today?" He shrugged._

"_I've been better," he said, looking up at the menu, "I've never ordered from here before, what would you recommend?"_

"_Well, on any normal day I would recommend the chilled mocha coffee, but for your day I would say a nice cup of double hot chocolate, I know that always makes my day a little bit better."_

_The man smiled slightly, I knew that smile... "All right, I think I'll have that, oh, and I'm sure my son would like a cup of coffee too."_

"_Okay, what kind of coffee? Anything special?"_

_The man shook his head, "How about you surprise him?"_

_I smiled, "And your name?" I grabbed a pen and was ready to write on his cup._

"_My name is Howard. My son should be in here soon, he just had to get something out of the car." I nodded as I began to mix the chocolate and milk together._

"_And what's his name?"_

"_Tony." I heard a very very familiar voice say. Looking up, I saw Tony, but he was younger and had no facial hair. He winked at me. "I'll have a large white chocolate mocha, whole milk please." He smiled._

"_...All right."_

_I made Tony's father's drink first and handed it to him, he sat down at a table. My young hands began to make Tony's coffee. I poured in the whole milk as he watched me. I slipped on the sleeve and handed it two him, his hand clasping over mine as he stared at me._

"_You'll be able to breathe in five...four...three...open your eyes babe...one."_

I breathed in suddenly and my eyes shot opened.

I was in my hospital room, and Tony and my mother were looking over me.

"Breathe Riley, breathe." Tony said slowly. I did as he said and I noticed how easily I breathed. I smiled, "Operation went perfectly, babe."

I began to sit up, but my mother stopped me.

"And no standing for a few days either, not until the stitches heal." I nodded my head.

"So...I'm alive."

Tony laughed, "You're alive, and breathing as good as you did the day you were born."

I breathed in, and out. It was...beautiful. Words cannot describe how good it felt to breathe without wheezing, or coughing.

"And angel eyes?"

"Mum?"

"I approve of Tony."

I looked over at Tony and he exclaimed a silent 'yes'. I laughed, and something caught my eye on the stand next to Tony. I looked at it, a pair of yellow aviator sunglasses.

"Where-where did those come from?" Tony turned his head.

"Oh, yeah, some guy named Ralph Steadman came by and dropped them off. Said they were yours."

I smiled and thought to myself that those cannot be the ones...

"Hand them to me."

Tony set them in my hands. I looked on the ear piece and sure enough in small letters were H. S. T. chiseled in sharply. Oh, Hunter...

I laughed slightly, and handed them back to Tony, only he didn't take them.

"Can you set those back?"

"I have a thing, I don't like things being handed to me."

I looked at him, my hand still out stretched. Was he really going to be this way?

"Seriously?"

"Seriously Riley."

I kept my hand out-stretched for about thirty seconds, I held the sunglasses in his face. He sighed and picked them from my hand slowly and set them down. I rolled my eyes.

"So difficult." I said to myself as I sat up slowly. My mom just giggled at us.

A week went by slowly and uneventful, though I have gotten a good start on my book. I had to practically drag Tony from the hospital to go home and take a day off from the hospital.

"I don't want to see you until Thursday, I don't want you to drive by the hospital, I want you to stay home, rest, shower, eat some actual food and I promise I'll be ready to come back with you soon."

And he did, and soon the week was over and Tony and I stood in the elevator, waiting to get to the bottom floor where we'd be faced with thousands of cameras and reporters.

"You ready?" I nodded, breathing in.

I was _not _happy that this had gotten out into the public and everyone wanted to know how it all went. "Fuck them if they think they're going to get anything out of me." I said, angst running through me. Tony laughed, kissing my cheek.

"My Riley's back."

_Ding!_

The door opened and we were attacked.

* * *

The most beautiful human being on the planet walked me up the steps to his home, holding onto me tightly.

"Tony I can walk myself."

"Yeah, well, I'm not taking any chances." I rolled my eyes.

"I am not going to allow you to treat me like I'm a new born child, Tony."

"I'm aware," he said, while opening the front door, "That's why I'm taking advantage of this moment right now when you are."

"I'm not a child." I huffed, and he only chuckled. "How long was it until I'm able to, you know, be a fully capable human-being again?"

"Ah-uh, six weeks, I think." Tony said as he grabbed two glasses and poured some tea.

This would be a long two weeks, goddamnit.

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**Well? :)**

**Also, if you were able to make that connection earlier about the sunglasses, w00t for you! **


	12. PallaWhat?

**Hey readers, I'm terribly sorry that it's been a while since I've updated, but I've been sick. :( Thankfully I'm getting better and had the inspiration to continue. :) Also, I want to say I feel like an idiot because the very last line on the last chapter said "This would be a long two weeks, goddamnit." When I meant for it to say six weeks instead of two. **

**Now with that all cleared up, here's the twelfth chapter. :)**

**Enjoy.**

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Standing in the bathroom, my eyes bore into my reflection. Myself, and I was the same as I was two months ago, save for the thin little scar that peaked up just above my shirt and trailed down my chest.

I unbuttoned my shirt slowly until it was open completely and my bare chest met the air. I traced the scar up and down with my finger. I don't know why, but it just felt so odd.

I heard Tony walk into his room, his bathroom that I occupied was connected. He walked slowly into the bathroom.

"How'd Iron Man duties go?"

"Just fine, though I'll have to repair the suit a bit." He saw that my shirt was unbuttoned and was about to question it, but then thought against it. If he questioned most of the things I did, he'd be introduced to a different world in a whole new light. "How are you?"

"Good, I'm thinking about getting a new tattoo."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, on my arm, up here." I rubbed my upper right arm and began to button up again. "It'll have to be after my book is finished though." I walked out of the bathroom and into the kitchen where I grabbed a glass of water.

Pepper walked in and announced that there is going to be a banquet tomorrow night and to wear nice clothes. I didn't like wearing nice clothes, I was never comfortable in them. I didn't like them one bit.

I walked back into Tony's room and fell asleep on his bed. I don't know how long I was asleep, but I was not happy when I was awakened by Pepper.

"Riley, there's a man in the living room who needs to see you."

I grunted and slowly got up with a scorning ache in my head.

I walked slowly to the living room, following Pepper, and stopped dead in my tracks when I saw a messy mop of brown hair.

"Hey...Riley." He stood from the couch and walked toward me. I stepped back quickly. Christopher.

"What the hell are you doing here?" He laughed.

"To be with you, of course." He walked closer and I backed up against the wall. A white vase on a stand shook as I hit it with my foot. I grabbed it and held it in front of me.

"Should I go get Tony?"

I made a sound that resembled that of a 'yes' and a 'no', thankfully she took it as a 'yes' and shot down to Tony's workshop.

"Why are you here Chris? How did you find me?"

More laughing, "Well, Tony Stark's place isn't exactly the hardest place to find. No put down that vase and come with me." I shook my head.

"You really think I'd want to do that? With you?"

"Well, it sure didn't stop you two months ago." I rolled my eyes. I suddenly heard Tony's heavy foot steps coming into the room.

"Is there a problem here?" I could tell Chris was intimidated by him, but his stance never faltered. He reached out and grabbed my arm.

"No, just claiming my girlfriend." I scoffed.

"Okay, one, no one can claim me, and two, I am not your fucking girlfriend." Chris gripped my arm tighter, "Ow, that fucking hurts!"

The next thing I see is Tony's arm in front of my eyes and Chris fell to the floor. I clutched onto the vase and eyes wide as I stared at Chris.

"Nice shot." I said, still a tad bemused.

Tony breathed in. "Thanks. Now, what was that about?"

I set the vase back to it's home and sighed, "We used to be together, off and on for like three years. When I went back to New York, I met up with him. I guess he just doesn't realize the meaning of...'no strings attached'."

Tony's jaw clinched as he looked down at Chris, "Any other crazy ex-boyfriends I should know about?"

I thought for a moment, not really thinking of any. "Nope."

"Good. Pepper, call Happy and tell him to get rid of him." Pepper nodded with a slightly surprised look on her face. Tony and I walked into the kitchen, I jumped up on the counter and popped a grape in my mouth.

"There's never a dull moment with you, is there?" I laughed.

"I guess not."

. . .

All right, maybe it's just me, or Tony is acting fucking weird. Not like his feelings have changed or anything, in fact they've increased through the past two months we've been together. But he just seems to be acting...weak and even despondent in a way, but I can tell he's trying to hide it from Pepper and I. I don't know what he's thinking if he can hide anything from me, but I'm going to find out why.

I know he's way too stubborn to tell me himself, so if I asked JARVIS, maybe he'd tell me.

"I'm not allowed to release that type of information."

"Ugh. Yes you are!"

"I'm sorry, Miss McDermott." I sighed and looked at the ceiling, trying to picture what JARVIS looked like so I could imagine myself punching him in the face.

Well, if he wasn't going to tell me, I was going to have to find out by myself.

I waited until Tony was about to head out to a meeting.

"Ciao." Tony kissed my lips and smiled.

"I'll be home in a few hours, just order Chinese or something." I nodded.

"Will do." He kissed me again.

"I love you."

"I love you too." As Tony shut the door behind him, I watched as he drove down the drive. Once he was out of view I shot down the the basement like my feet were on fire.

I pressed 4665 into the key pad and opened the door slowly. It was very eerily quiet and I felt the need to tip-toe across the floor and over to his computers.

I rested my butt into the seat, "Damn, no wonder he spends so much time down here." I said to myself as I enjoyed the comfortable leather chair. Italian, I'm sure.

I snooped around his desk, found a prototype Iron Man helmet, a notebook of equations and junk I hardly understood, and a box of cigars. This really didn't give me any clues whatsoever.

Come on, Riley, you're a smart, intelligent woman, figure this out.

I brought his computer from sleep mode and a password window came up.

"Now if I were Tony Stark's password, what would I be...?" I wondered out-loud and began thinking. I was completely blank and could not think of anything. "Wait a second..."

Tony doesn't smoke.

I quickly picked up the cigar box and saw not cigars, but thin little square disks in an odd casing. So this is what he's been hiding...

"JARIVS, what are these in Tony's cigar box?"

"That is an elemental reactant meant to counter the effects of the palladium in Mr. Stark's arc reactor."

Palla—what? What the hell was that? I was never one for Chemistry, but I was decent at it in college. It sounded like a metal of some sort. "Can you tell me what it's doing to him?"

"Frankly Miss McDermott, it's poisoning him, slowly that is."

And I felt my whole world drop. How could he not tell me about this? I was so overcome with confusion and fear of losing the only person that I cared about that I literally fell from the seat and drew my face to my knees. I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to think of something different, anything at all I could think of other than Tony dying...

Jesus, fuck, Christ! Why hasn't he told me about this?

I stayed in that position for the longest time when I finally decided to get up and order something to eat for when Tony got home.

When he got home things were going fine, we ate our Chinese take-out and talked. But what I had discovered earlier was still lingering in the back of my mind. No—it wasn't in the back on my mind, it was banging at the back of my eyelids and doing everything but lingering.

As I bit into a piece of chicken, I looked at Tony who looked very tired. I really wanted to talk with him about this, but I really wanted to know when he was planning on telling me, so I didn't say anything about it.

"How are you feeling, Riles?" I smiled slightly, only him and Steve called me that.

"I'm—I can't complain. How about you, you look like you're about to pass out." He shook his head.

"Nah, I'm all right. But I think I might hit the sheets early tonight."

"All right, I'll sleep in the guest bedroom."

"What? Why?"

"You need a full rest, I can tell, and with me lying right next to you; that's not going to happen. So, goodnight sweet cheeks, and I'll see you in the morning." I kissed his lips, and he held me there for several seconds.

"Hey, I love you."

"I love you more." He grinned at my immaturity. "Nighty night."

I slowly dashed into the guest bedroom and lied down on the bed. _When was he going to tell me?_


	13. I Never Overreact

**I really want to know what you all think of this chapter, please let me know!**

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At around noon the following day I got a call from Stanton asking if I could get some shots at the Banquet for the paper. I told him it was no problem, because I was going anyway.

I stood in front of a mirror that more than likely cost more than my car, and studied my image. My hair had returned back to it's natural orange colour, but it looked all right to me. I'd bought a dress that covered the scar on my chest, and it really did make me look something of a dish. I would not be wearing high-heels either, my ankle was giving me a terrible time today.

"Oh, damn. Who is this sexy woman standing in my bedroom? I don't believe we've met, my name is Absolutely Smitten."

I laughed and placed my hands on Tony's chest, on either side of his arc reactor. The arc reactor that was killing him...

I pushed all those thoughts from my minds for now and focused on him. "Have I ever told you that you are one of the only people I care about?"

Tony smiled, wrapping his arms around my waist, "Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Laughing, I draped my arms over his shoulders, "No, no I don't believe you have." Tony kissed my neck, he always knew where to kiss to get my skin to chill.

"You are a goddess," he kissed me, "an angel...everything beautiful in this world all stuff into one thing, and babe, it's you." He truly was unlike any a man I've ever had the good fortune to meet.

"Oh, you flatter me." I kissed him as Pepper came in and told us we needed to head out to Disney Hall. I grabbed my camera and quickly followed Tony to the car. It was a short ride, thankfully. I snapped a few shots of Tony, if not only for myself.

Once we stepped out of the car, Tony immediately respected my wishes in not being extremely, well, gropey and what not, though I could tell he wanted to show everyone and their brother that we were together, I just didn't like that extra attention. That's just me, and Tony hogs up most of that so it's a win win situation. Kind of.

The dinner was all right, but the after party was where things were at. I met up with a good friend, Mister Johnny Depp to be precise. Hunter had actually introduced us, and it'd been a while since I'd talked to him. We caught up for a while then Tony stole me away for a dance.

As the night proceeded with elegant luxury, I began to grow a tad dizzy. I felt my forehead, and feeling the warmth on my palm I sighed. I hate my immune-system.

"Hey, Tony, I think I'm going to head back to the house, I'm feeling a bit sick." I told him.

"Okay, I'll drive you."

"-No, no you stay here. I don't want to ruin the party for you."

"You sure?" I nodded.

"I just need some rest, I'll be fine. You have fun." He gave me a hug and kissed my cheek.

"All right." He handed me the keys to the Audi and I quickly made my way home and changed out of my dress to something more comfortable as JARVIS fixed me some hot chocolate and some cold medicine.

"Thanks JARVIS." I took a drink of the hot chocolate as I looked over my pictures from earlier tonight. I was always impressed by the pictures I took, I should have gone into photography but I loved writing so much more.

I sat for about two hours, I was feeling a bit better, but I was still dizzy every now and then. And I was still going through and editing pictures when I heard the door slam shut and heavy footsteps. Tony must be home.

Wait...home? This isn't home. But it feels like it, it feels like home.

I decided to stay in the kitchen until I finished editing when I heard mumbling of voices in the other room. I picked up my camera as I figured I could finish editing tomorrow and began to make my way to the living room.

My bare feet were slow as I stepped into the dark room. I heard fumbling and my curiosity got the better of me.

"JARVIS, lights."

The lights turned on, and everything else turned off in me as I saw Tony with his hands around a woman in dress that hardly covered the things that made her a woman. He was kissing her sloppily and quickly as if he were in a hurry to get the deed done, and I just stood there and watched this deception being committed.

I guess my presence had been made known by the girl as she broke away from Tony and gave me a frightened look. Her eyes were wide and she looked as guilty as a teenage boy when he got caught masturbating by his parents by lamplight. Tony turned his head toward me.

"Riley," he said quietly, then realization took over his drunken stupor, "Riley!" He jumped ten feet away from the girl and approached me.

"Get the fuck away from me." This is not real, I cannot bring myself to succumb to this. What ever _this _is, I want nothing to do with it.

"Riley...don't you think you're overreacting a little?"

"_Overreacting?_!" His face disgusted me. "You think I'm overreacting when I just caught you creating on me? Fuck! I'm not a whining bitch, but this is a little something to cause a red flag in my world." I walked past him, I walked past the whore and to the door where I grabbed my keys. "I'll get my things later, but I can guarantee this will be the last time you see me. You are nothing more that what I had seen the first time I met you. Just a pathetic man with no heart." And with that, I closed the door on the Tin Man's face and wasn't even bothered by the fact that I was bare foot or in pajamas. I just needed to go home. I just needed to go home and forget my whole life.

* * *

I'd been in my bed for three and a half days. Three and a half long, sleepless nights and days and I was finished. Finished with this all. But I knew I couldn't do that. I couldn't just up and quit everything.

I took a shower and dressed in some shorts and a Flogging Molly shirt because I felt like drinking, and made my way to the Times.

I handed in the pictures and decided to stop by and see my old friends on the eleventh floor. I saw ol' Donny first and his balding head, typing away on his old computer, then Lacy drinking a cup of Starbucks coffee, and finally my eyes landed on Steve, leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the desk and drinking from a Caprisun packet. When his eyes landed on me they got wide and he jumped from his seat and gave me a big hug.

"Hey Stevie." I hugged him back and smiled. It felt good to be in the arms of someone I can trust.

"Hey, I heard about the operation last month, are you doing good?" I nodded.

"Cancer free as far as I know."

"Good, good. And I also heard about you and Stark..." I even felt my insides darken, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"There's nothing to talk about, he cheated, I left. Simple as pie." I sat on his desk as he stood in front of me.

"Would you—would you like to grab a bite to eat?"

"You know what, that's the greatest idea I've heard all day." I hopped off the desk and Steve and I made our way to the Waffle House just down the street.

. . .

"I'm writing a book."

"Oh? What's it about?" He asked as he bit into some scrambled eggs he'd caught with his fork.

I myself bit into sunny-side up eggs and took a drink of coffee, "It's about a hitchhiker who just travels around the country, discovering new things and discovering herself in a way."

"Nice, I like it, it's a good idea."

"I thought so too."

We finished our lunch and began to walk back to the Times. I don't know what overcame me but I decided to stop Steve from walking and I pulled him to the side of the walkway.

"What's wrong, Riley?"

"I dunno, I just wanted to spend more time with you." I told him truthfully.

Steve smiled, "Come over to my place tonight and I'll cook you dinner." And everything just...lit up from there. Kind of.


	14. My Life Wraps Around Him Like Saran Wrap

Two lonely months later and my book is finished, published, and on the way to being a New York Times best seller. Whoopie. Don't get me wrong, it's fantastic—no this is first-rate amazing, but I am still a large black hole inside. I'm like the floor beneath the passenger's side of Eugene's car from Wristcutters. A black hole.

For the half year I spent with Tony, he sure made it seem like I couldn't spend the rest of my life without him. But I was a foolish girl who let her guard down. And you know what happens to foolish girls who let their guard down?

They get fucking trampled.

But things are going all right, for now. I've traveled tons to promote my book, and my bank account was busting it's top by the end of 2009. I suppose you could call Steve and I a couple, even though that hasn't been established just yet. Despite that, this wasn't that bad of a life. But for a life to be good for me, it has to be something different and exciting and filled with utter confusion or else I get bored out of my goddamned mind. Which is exactly why I was in the middle of a field with a few new friends of mine, shooting off automatics into the never ending distance.

I held the gun in my hand, Smith & Wesson of course, but it was a powerful one. I knew that because my friend Tobey, the one who had introduced me to the gundom world, was given a throwback when he pulled the trigger. His arm riveted back at the shot and he was a pretty burly guy.

The gun was heavy in my hands and glinted in my eye from the bright sun. I aimed at an imaginary target, you can only imagine the images running through my mind that portrayed said target. I kept both eyes open and squeezed the slim trigger and for a moment, the blood rushing through my veins had stopped as I was brought to such a large force so suddenly that I flew to my back on the dirt below me.

My ears rang and Tobey stood over me. Words cannot begin to explain what a natural high I felt. It felt like nothing I'd ever done before, and not only because it had been the first time I'd ever fired a gun either.

"You awright?"

"Fuck. Let's do that again." We went at it again, and thus began my weird obsession with handguns. I carried one with me always, not always on me, but always in my car.

I picked up drinking again, I used to drink heavily in college, but I stopped shortly after I went over seas to be a war-time journalist. I don't know, I guess it was just the Irish in me trying to claw it's way out through sickening urges and cravings. And it didn't help much that my brother owned O'Gailys bar in East LA. It wasn't the smartest decision to deal with my problems, but who ever said I was good at that?

Early February I began smoking again, it was not the greatest alternative to stress relief, also given the fact that I had been in the hospital for lung cancer. Smoking will not only increase the chances of the cancer coming back with a fiery vengeance, but I'd most likely let myself go down with it. Steve despised the fact that I was letting myself smoke again, so I didn't smoke at all around him, but that didn't make me stop.

. . .

It was the end of March when I woken to the annoying shrill of my phone ringing. It was Liam, he wanted to know if I would like to join him and Staison at McDonald's for lunch. I let out a breath, not really wanting to get out of my apartment, my bed was so comfortable. But I hadn't been out of the damn thing for two days, I was liable to develop a blood clot. So I agreed and told him I'd meet him there at noon.

On my way out to the car I was questioned about the relationship between Tony Stark and I. I told him that it was like a pair of of tennis shoes and a used TV set with a few knobs missing and a burnt antenna. He looked at me with the most beclouded look on his face I've ever seen and I merely slid into my car and drove off to have a nice lunch with my brother and my nephew.

But as it turned out, I only ordered a coffee. McDonald's was notorious for having disgustingly bitter coffee, but I drank it anyway. Staison had ordered a Mighty Kid's Meal with the six chicken nuggets instead of four.

"Look," Staison said, hold up the toy he had received from the meal in his small hand, "it's Tony, Aunt Riley. Here you go." He handed the small Iron Man action figure to me. Liam jumped quickly and stopped my hand from throwing the action figure across the whole restaurant. He peeled my fingers from it and set it down on the table slowly.

"I take it you're still angry."

"Fucking—"

"Hey hey, watch it, I don' wan' 'im cussing 'til he's at least ten." Liam said, covering Staison's ears while he chewed on a french fry with difficulty due to one of his front teeth being missing.

"Sorry, it's just," I paused, trying to figure out how to word what I was feeling, "Tony played me, and I knew all along."

"Ri, I'm going to be honest wit' ye, that man loved you. I don' know what the hell happened to him, but he loved ye."

The words were foreign to me, they didn't make sense.

"I don't see how that's possible, Liam."

"I'm a bartender Riley, I deal with people's feelings everyday, I know when a fella loves a gal. And he does, or did." He attempted to take a drink but the straw he sucked only sucked on air. He stood to refill his coke, leaving me with Staison. I sipped on my coffee as he looked at me with his big green eyes.

"Aunt Riley, why aren't you happy anymore?"

"I am happy, little Stais." I said, kissing the side of his head and resting my arm around his small shoulders.

"No, you used to be really happy, when you were with Tony, what happened?"

I sighed, I hate talking with Staison because he was so damn smart, he inherited that from the McDermott side, thankfully he didn't get his mothers dim-witted mind. She was a nice girl, just dumb as hell.

"Tony did a bad thing, and I didn't like it, so we aren't together right now."

"Will you ever get back together, Aunt Riley?"

_Liam, where are you?_ "I don't know, Stais, probably not."

I took another sip of my coffee, as Liam sat back down.

"Hey, it's your birthday tomorrow, what would you like?"

Hot damn, I'd forgotten my own birthday. I laughed, "A brand new car."

"Funny. Try thinkin' on a bartender and teacher's salary."

"New breaks for my car?"

"I think I can do that."

My phone began to ring from my bag. I dug through mountains and mountains of paper and pens when I finally found it. It was an unknown number.

"Riley McDermott."

"_Hello this is Richard Stengel I'm the managing editor with Time magazine and I called for a photography assignment." _I had been doing random assignments for several magazines and newspapers but never for Time magazine. I heard they payed good, I hope they did.

"All right, will there be notability?"

"_Of course."_

"Just what I'm looking for."

"_All right, now tomorrow there's going to be a nation broadcast of a hearing tomorrow at the House of the Senate, press is allowed and I want you to go in and get some shots."_

"Sounds easy enough, anything you want me to focus on?"

"_Yes, Tony Stark." _You've got to be kidding me...fucking kidding me... _"I know you've worked with him before and you have mastered the right style we're looking for for our article." _Good pay or not, I will NOT intentionally put myself within ten feet of that man. If I did, god doesn't even know what would happen.

"Mister Stengel, I thank you for this opportunity but—"

"_We're paying 450 for twenty edited photographs, published in the final draft or not."_

"When is it? Tomorrow you said?" I asked. I heard him laugh.

"_Yes, tomorrow at eleven. House of the Senate."_

"I'll be there, thank you very much Mister Stengel." I hung up and tossed the phone on the table.

"Who was tha'?" Liam asked to my hands which now covered my face.

"That was the editor of Time Magazine, wanting me to take photographs—"

"What? That's great."

"-of Tony Stark."

"Ooh." Liam and Staison said at the same time. I nodded.

"Yup." How, in god's name, does my life always turn it's way to wrap itself around Tony Stark? One thing I will never know.

* * *

Tony sat in his living room, upon his white couch he rested. His eyes were glued to the television screen in front of him.

"All right, today we have a unique individual with us, she is an author, a journalist, an artist and it is a true delight to have her on the show today, ladies and gentlemen, Riley McDermott." Tom Harris began, charming his way through the camera into the television sets of hundreds of American homes, he then turns and the camera pans to the side as a woman with orange hair walks slowly out onto the set and takes a seat in a cream coloured chair next to him, Tony laced his fingers together tightly as his eyes blinked only seldom. "How are you, Riley?"

"I'm all right, I guess I can't complain, the tech manager, back there, gave me a mint. I call that either a good omen foreshadowing a day of gifts or bluntly saying I have bad breath, either way, it was a good mint." Tom laughed.

"Yes, he is a generous man. Now earlier before the show the guys and I were back stage just talking around and we were just wondering, what exactly would you call yourself?"

She smirks, leaning back in her chair, "I'm just a voice, man, though for some reason people like to hear mine more than others." Tony blinks, she looks really good. And she got that tattoo she was wanting, a half sleeve of flowers on her upper right arm.

Tom Harris laughs, "And how true is that, I have a report here that says you pulled in more that 6,000 more readers for the Los Angeles Times when you joined the staff-"

"Huh, wow, really?" She paused, looking at the ground and shifting in her seat, "Cool."

"Now, you work free-lance and you are currently pursuing the author career you've always wanted-"

"How did you know that?"

He laughs, "Well, Riley you said that a few days ago."

"Oh, oh okay." She laughs, "But yeah, I am doing that, been going real well." She was nervous, Tony could always tell when she was nervous because she'd get this little squint in her eye and she'd bob her left leg up and down.

"Well, I hear you've been traveling a lot promoting your first novel, how do you like it here in Minneapolis?"

Riley thinks for a second, "I came here for the shoes, it's a real good town for shoes." Audience laughs, Tom laughs. Tony smirked, she was always an odd one.

"Here's Riley's book that is actually now a New York Times Best Seller," he brings out a book with the title 'The Linen Fabric Xeno' "So, what exactly is the book about?"

"Oh, I don't know," she laughs, "No. It's about a hitchhiker who never really has a destination—no, not really. It's set in first person, and this woman is hitchhiking through the United States. Every time a car would pull up and ask her where she was headed, she'd always reply with 'Well, where ever you're heading.'" Tony liked that idea, it was a very good idea. He wish he could have been able to read it first before she published it.

"So does this have a hidden message of any kind?"

Riley takes a drink of her coffee, "I dunno, I guess it does. Everything has a hidden meaning whether the meaning be the intention at all but yeah, this one does. I guess, you know, you could say I have trouble defining who I am, what I do; how, and why I do the things I do. It's all a matter of perception, man, that's all." She scratches her head, talking to him and not once looking out into the audience or the camera.

"I suppose, now, I must ask-"

"Oh you must ask, I knew this would come up."

"Is Tony Stark still in the picture?" A lump worked it's way into Tony's throat as he listened intently to her answer, even though he already knew what she would say.

She laughs, "No, not anymore."

"You seem to be very despondent, and even angry at the reporters or interviewers who ask you about this, why is that?"

"Yeah, well, it's just—my mother is a full Irish woman and my da half Irish, half Scottish, so I inherited a bit of an Irish temper..."

"Yeah, that's for sure." Tony said to himself, looking at his shoes.

"I'm not proud of it but I'm not ashamed of it either. And I don't usually get fired up unless I feel disrespected for no reason at all. You get what I'm saying? And all those fuckin' reporters only care about themselves and a juicy story and nothing about feelings."

"Reporters do have a tendency to be a tad overbearing."

Riley laughed, taking a long drink of coffee, "I'm proud to say I've never been a reporter, and will never work for any sleezy magazine or tabloid. Lucky me, I guess. I have that choice to or not."

Tony began to tune out the rest of the interview as it's spiraled into commercials. He rubbed his face, he heard the sharp click, click, click of Pepper's heels as she entered the room.

"What are you watching?"

"Riley is on the Daily Composition." He heard Pepper sigh as she sat down next to him. He knew what was coming.

"Tony, it's been three months—"

"Two months, two and a half weeks." He corrected her as he began fiddling with his cell phone.

"It's been long enough, she seems to have gotten over you, now you—"

"_Should get over her. _I know, Pepper, it's not like you don't tell me every other day." She did in fact, tell him every day it seemed for the past month.

"All I want is to see you feeling better, back to the old Tony." Pepper rubbed his back, but his shrugged her hand off.

"How can I feel better when I did what I did?" He ran his hands through his hair. This burden had been plaguing him ever since that night. And even if it was so, that Riley was over him, it made no difference because he was still a cheating son of a bitch. He should be over it, he should be over her, because she was just another woman in an ocean of fine ones. But she was different, yes that all around cliche of meeting a woman who differed from all the rest. Maybe it wasn't that she herself was different, no-no, she was very different. But she'd altered him, his feelings, and he loved it.

But he was still who he was. And nothing could change that, not even a stupid fucking girl.

Pepper brought her hand to his back once more, this time he didn't move and let her rub circles into his shoulder blades like she'd done many times before when Tony began to feel like this. After about five minutes of silence, Pepper remembered why she came to check in on Tony in the first place.

"Tony, the Expo opening is in two hours, we need to be headed towards the airport." Tony raised his head.

"Yeah, okay."

. . .

And he was served. He was half disappointed that it wasn't Seth Rogen who had handed him the envelope that instructed him to appear at the House of the Senate at eleven sharp. But either way, he still had to show and sit through hours of drooling senate talk, but he'd probably be on TV for it. Riley always watched the news channel in the mornings, because nothing else was on that under budget local children's television shows, but maybe she'd watch him. One can only dream, he thought to himself as he lied in bed and dreamed of nothing.

* * *

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	15. A Defining Argument

I woke up at ten thirty, hungover and in nothing but a bikini and an Eskimo hat. I don't even want to know what happened last night, last thing I remember was being at the bar with Liam. I laughed at myself as I took everything off and jumped slowly into the shower.

It was ten forty-five when I was blow-drying my hair and slipping on a tank top and some jeans that had been cut off at the ankle and some ratty, beat up tennis shoes. All right, dressing like a teenage boy today. I grabbed my backpack and camera bag and searched vigorously through my apartment for my keys.

"Shit shit shit!" I exclaimed as I riffled through drawers in the kitchen when I finally found them hanging around the shower head. I had no clue how they ended up there, but I didn't care 'cause they were in my hands and I was out the door by ten fifty-five.

In a record seven minutes I was running on the sleek marble steps to the senate room. As I ran by the administrative desk I flashed my press pass yelling that I was, "with Time magazine!" and I dashed in through the doors of the room where I would soon meet my utter despair and annoyance.

I was late, I knew it, and every other person in the room who turned to look at me knew it but it didn't stop the incessant chatter all around the room. So it was apparent that I wasn't the only late one either. I breathed in and limped to the press area that was located right next to the wide desk in the front of the large room. To my surprise there wasn't as many people with the press as I had thought there would be, but they were hounded into the corner like animals.

Five minutes of waiting and the doors I had once ran through were opened and in walked Tony with his ego at his side. I pulled my camera out of my bag and spied him through the eye piece and snapped a few pictures as the committee began.

Long story short, the government wanted Tony's suit, and he didn't want to give it to them. I took a few photos of the Senator Stern, or what I assumed to be the Senator Stern and his smart ass attitude. I turned to look at Tony through my lens and paused, he was looking straight at me. I quickly looked away, I can't do this. I felt his eyes on me, they burned holes into my face but I would not look at him. My skin sizzled.

After thirty minutes into it, I'd gotten at least forty pictures to choose the best from and I'd be able to edit and turn the select twenty into the editor of Time magazine. I wonder if I can leave early?

Nope, that plan failed. I leaned against a table and tried to interest myself in the talking going on between Tony and the senator. Then Rhodey came in, it was a delight to see him, and I took a few shots of him. Tony kept looking at me but I refused to look at him.

And that's when the oh-so-lovely Justin Hammer walked in, he winked at me and I cursed him very loudly in my mind. I really cannot stand that prick.

He began, trying to prove that the Iron Man suit was and has been imitated. Tony quickly shot that down by hacking into Hammer's computer with his cell phone—his _cell phone—_and basically proving him wrong that all the imitations that had been attempted had, indeed failed. I laughed out loud at this. Tony turned and smiled at me. I quickly turned my gaze away. It was like a game, but I wasn't having fun.

I began to daydream, wondering how much bark I'm getting for standing here. Let's see, 450 for twenty photographs. Holy shit...9000 dollars. No doubt some one is kissing my ass to have my name on their page.

Tony soon let himself officially end the committee hearing and I quickly made my way out of the room as fast as I could. And as my luck would have it, an arm stopped me from walking and I turned to see Rhodey.

"Oh, hey Rhodey."

"Hey, how are you doing? It's been a while." I nodded.

"It has. As for how I've been doing...well, I'm alive. How about you?"

"Oh, I think I've been all right. I've started reading your book, it's really good."

"Oh, thanks."

"You know, Tony bought your book the day it came out, read it in two days."

I sighed, "I really don't want to talk about—"

"Hey Rhodey."

_Tony. _I thought to myself, lowering my eyes at the man with that very familiar and perfectly stupid goatee. I honestly never really liked that thing.

"Riley, can I—?"

"No. It was nice seeing you Rhodey, send a call my way and we'll get some coffee or something sometime." I said, turning on my heel I began to walk down the hall way, but not with out a little pesky billionaire on my tail.

"Riley, I know I'm the last person you ever want to talk to but—"

"Yeah, you're right, so why are you talking to me?"

"I just—I want to explain myself to you."

"Oh, okay." I said as if I were really going to stand there and listen to his excuses that are long forgotten, and I just walked off.

"Riley, please?" He called after me, "Do you really want me to make a scene?"

I turned back around and walked up to him, "You wouldn't."

"Care to make a bet on that?" He smirked at me. No, I was not letting him win this. I'm just going to walk away, and I did. I got down to the steps when I stopped dead in my tracks like a dear in the headlights when Tony suddenly started.

"Riley McDermott, I cannot believe that it would come down to this! Really, I mean after all we've been through, you're going to just...walk away?" I squeezed my eyes shut and turned around quickly. There were people staring at the both of us, and the I thought, why the fuck not? Two can play at this. "I thought you were diff—"

"Oh sod off, you are such a child. I can't believe I ever believed a single word you ever said to me!" I yelled at him, he laughed. I knew that would set something off in him.

"Well maybe I wouldn't have to act like a child if I didn't have to take care you like one!" You know, this was actually fun. And relieving.

"Oh fuck that, you didn't have to take care of me at all if you didn't want to!"

"I took care you because I wanted to, because I cared about you!" Oh please, give me a break. I knew that he'd go off, but I highly doubt he'd meant anything he says.

"Well if you cared so much about me, why the fuck did you cheat on me!"

And Tony didn't respond to that, he only looked at me with those dark, menacing brown eyes and I wanted to disintegrate as his gaze reduced me to pieces.

"Mr. Stark, Miss McDermott, we're going to have to ask you to take this conversation else where." A bald security guard told the both of us, I kept my eyes on Tony as I spoke.

"No, this conversation doesn't need to go anywhere because it's finished. I'm finished talking to you Tony." And I walked out of the senate building, not at all pleased with what had just happened. Though I was surprised that Tony had lost his composure in public, that was good for him, not everyone can be a superhero, not even Iron Man.

* * *

Steve had dropped me off at O'Gailys after he basically told me that he didn't want to have the type of relationship we had at the moment. And I thought, _well for fuck's sake you should have thought of that whilst our fucking for the past two weeks, christ._ But I, oddly, wasn't bothered by the fact that I had basically been dumped.

I sat at the bar, my face in my arms as I rested my head. Not three hours ago I stood in front of Tony, I stood in front of Tony and screamed and yelled at him as he screamed and yelled back. It was nothing more than an argument and nothing got solved by it, I knew from that second when he didn't respond to my question: Why did you cheat on me? I knew that he had no excuse for what he had done, and that's all I needed to know for my satisfaction that he was just like any other son of bitch with a pretty face out there. And here I was, thinking that he wasn't.

I am so fucking stupid. I should have been careful. I _was_ going to be careful, but I let that fist sized, red glob of muscle in my chest take over.

I banged my head on the bar.

"So—fucking—stupid." I mumbled to myself.

"Riley, yer gonna chip tha wood there ya bitseach." Liam said as he arranged the glasses behind the counter. He literally called me a bitch, in Gaelic.

"Well, _kiss my arse." _I said in an Irish accent, I often mocked him for still having one. But he was actually raised in Ireland until he was ten, I was only there until I was five so it stuck with him more so than me. I could do a mean accent though.

Liam laughed slightly and he began cleaning a few glasses, looking like a real bartender. He nodded his head to someone behind me. I turned around and saw a black man with an eye patch over his left eye, all dressed in black.

I honestly had no words for this.

But I suppressed a snort, "How'd you get that eye patch?"

"World War II."

I didn't suppress this snort, "Right, and I just got off my flight from Timbuktu, beautiful place, rude people though." He didn't look like he was hardly over forty.

"You think you're some kind of wise woman?"

"I have my moments of clear perspective." As I said this, the man moved to sit down on the stool next to me. I watched him out of the corner of my eye, this guy was sketchy, if I didn't watch out, he could slip me a date rape drug. Gotta watch those. I pulled out a bottle of Guinness from behind the counter. "Who are you?"

"My name is Nick Fury."

"Riley McDermott, nice to meet a stranger." I shook his hand and took a swing of the rich Irish beer.

"I'm here—"

"Want a beer?" He glared at me with his...eye. "Just figure I'd offer, shit."

"I'm here to ask you a few questions about Tony Stark."

"Fuck, Christ, you're a reporter? Jesus, I don't want to answer any goddamned questions about Tony fucking Stark." I growled put my face to my arms.

"Oh, trust me Miss McDermott, you're going to want to answer these questions."

I raised my head up slowly, who the hell was this guy?

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**Why is it that I feel the need to end my chapters in questions? Lol, something I'll never know.**

**Well, review either way!**


	16. What A Happy Birthday

**All right, I know you were all dying to know what Nick Fury wanted to ask her, but I really wanted to speed up time a little and an idea sparked me. I could hit two birds with one stone, sort of. I'm speeding up to a month or so later, and you'll just to find out what Fury talked with Riley about in one little scene. So, enjoy! I'd love to hit 100 reviews with this one, but that's just me dreaming. :P**

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Tony sat awkwardly in the diner booth, clad in his titanium suit save for the helmet that was set off to the side.

"I already told you I don't want to join your superhero boy band."

But Nick Fury would have none of that, his good eye watching in what Tony would not call a glare, but a menacing look nonetheless. And his new assistant, Natalie Rushman was indeed working with SHIELD, she pulled out a syringe and stuck in the neck after Fury had mentioned the odd vein outlines on his aforementioned neck.

"Yeah, you're...fired." Tony said, but he began to feel that dull pain that his arc reactor had created for him, go away.

"You'll have to thank that charming little ex minx of yours." Fury said, watching him.

"Riley?"

"She's the one that told us of your condition with your arc reactor." Natalie—or 'Natasha' said to Tony as she sat across from him.

"How did she find out?" He asked, more to himself than anything.

"You'll have to ask her when she graces us with her presence." Fury said.

"She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago," Natasha said under her breath, but Tony heard her and chuckled. Riley was always late, to everything. "We had to—" Natasha started but stopped at the sound of the little bell ringing behind her that meant the door was being opened. Tony looked up from his coffee cup and saw Riley walk in. Her hair was longer than he remembered, it softly touched her shoulders. And she was also wearing a skirt, it came a little above her knees and suited her skinny frame. She was skinnier than he remembered as well. He must really not have payed much attention to her appearance when he'd seen her at the senate committee.

She had a lite limp as she walked over to the table. Her eyes never even strayed over to Tony's as he stared at her with eyes of earnest awe. She brought a scent of cigarettes and alcohol with her. Dark half circles under her eyes told him she probably hadn't gotten a decent night's sleep in a while. She sat down in the booth next to him.

"Sorry I'm late, I had to pick up my nephew and take him to school." She coughed, Tony narrowed him eyes at her, she's been smoking again.

"It's all right, we were just explaining to Tony the new element."

"Oh, I came at just the right, boring time, huh?" Natasha laughed, Fury only gave her a look and began to explain to Tony about said new element and about his father being a co-founder of SHIELD. He didn't believe it.

Riley was silent the whole time, only taking sips from Tony's coffee. He would have objected if his mind wasn't consumed with thoughts of denial about his father. Not only was his newly fired new assistant working with SHIELD, but so was his father and his ex-girlfriend.

Fury and Natasha left, leaving Riley and Tony alone.

"I'm going to need a ride."

"Can't you just fly?" She asked curtly.

"I'm too tired, and hungover to fly." She laughed.

"Welcome to my life," Riley sighed, "Where am I taking you?"

"My house."

She breathed inwardly, "All right. Come on." Tony followed her out the door and to her gray Mazda6. He'd never been in a car where she'd driven, he hoped she was a good driver. As she got in, Tony collapsed his suit into the portable suitcase and set it in the back seat as he slid into the passenger's.

She backed out of the parking lot sharply and pushed a CD into the player. A soft voice began to play and she turned it down slightly, as if she knew he was about to talk.

"Okay, I have questions."

"I have answers." She responded cleverly. Tony looked out the tinted window at the cars passing in opposite ways and the tall buildings of Los Angeles.

"How did you know find out about the palladium poisoning?"

Riley took a moment to answer.

"I noticed you were acting...weak and you were very spacey, even though you tried to hide it, I could tell—you're not the greatest actor that ever walked the earth...I knew you were too stubborn to just tell me or I would've asked. So I snooped around your desk in the workshop and found the uh—cigar box filled with the chip things you replaced in the arc reactor. JARVIS filled me in on all the rest." They were both silent, and Tony was about to ask her something when she interrupted his unspoken voice, "Why didn't you tell me about it, anyway?"

"I don't know, I guess I didn't think much about it when I was with you." She merely nodded to this, looking out onto the road with a contemplating look on her face, even though she always had that look on her face. "Are you smoking again?"

She turned a corner smoothly, "Well, it's not like I don't wreak of it."

Tony shook his head, she's going to kill herself. Riley saw him out of the corner of her eye.

"Well, fuck, I'm sorry I'm not the most perfect woman in the world." They came to a sudden stop as the traffic was backed up and hardly moving, "Shit, sorry."

"It's fine."

"Traffic congestion gives me hives." Even with her imperfections, she's still perfect. Tony laughed slightly.

"Would you listen to me if I explained to you what happened that night?"

She kept her gaze straight ahead, Tony realized that she hadn't even looked over at him the entire ride.

"Doesn't look like I have a choice."

He sunk into the seat, wondering how to word this without her yelling at him. He had a splitting headache and her screaming wouldn't help much either, she could get _very_ loud.

"I don't know how to explain this in a way without you getting pissed at me, I'm not going to say that I was drunk and didn't know what I was doing because it was still me and I knew what was happening, so all I'm going to say is; I made a mistake—a colossal fucking mistake, and I'm sorry." She didn't say anything, didn't look at him. "I'm just a man, Riley." She threw the gear into park.

"I know. Silly me, why did I expect you to be anything more than that?" I said, bringing her left knee to her chest in an attempt to get more comfortable.

"It's hard for a prick to change his ways, Riles." She snorted and leaned her head against the window, the air conditioner blowing her hair softly. In the low light, she'd never looked more beautiful. There was a silence for a while. "What are you thinking?"

She didn't lift her head from the glass, "I'm conjuring stories of the car wreck that's just ahead of us in my mind."

"Tell me one."

"An over-tired single mother drove a mini-van with her small four-year-old sitting in the backseat listening to a CD player and colouring in a colouring book. She was dropping her off at her dad's house. "Child drop-off." Another man in a black truck drives in the opposite way, he was thinking if he was either too drunk to drive, or too drunk to care. He drove at an accelerating speed of eighty miles per hour, twenty over the too low limit. He fails to see the red light, purposefully or not, he still drove through the intersection and ran straight into a van turning into the city. Another day, another wreck...I have such a sick mind."

"You have a beautiful mind."

She laughs, "So I hear." They started moving again, "We have to go by a few places in LA before I take you to Malibu."

"I'm in no hurry."

"I know you aren't." She said as she drove around the wreck, a black truck and a green van. Tony turned and looked at her. She is so simply unbelievable.

They drove for five minutes until she pulled into the parking lot of her apartment building.

"You'll want to come in, I'm going to be a bit." He nodded and followed her into the building. She began walking up the stairs.

"You had to pick the top floor of the apartment building who's elevator breaks down every other week."

"Exercise is fun."

"Thirteen flights of stairs is not fun." Riley laughed and started singing along to a song that was blaring from a room on the second floor.

"_Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends, get high with a little help from my friends."_ She sang, taking in a breath after every word. Tony rolled his eyes as he questioned himself over her sanity.

They made it to her apartment in five minutes and she walked in without unlocking the door.

"Aren't you worried someone will break in?"

"No." She answered quickly, "Have a seat, sorry I threw my TV out the window a month ago, so you'll have to entertain yourself with something else." And she walked down the hall and disappeared behind a door.

Tony would have questioned her about it, but he honestly wasn't surprised by it. He decided to look about her apartment. It was rather large, but it consumed the entire top floor of the building so it naturally was. The front room had that very comfortable dark green couch that he found was softer than his bed back in Malibu, a wooden coffee table filled with ashtrays, beer bottles, whiskey bottles, cigarette cartons, an old type writer probably from the nineties, and tons of crumpled paper and packets of paper everywhere. He picked up a wad of paper next to his foot and opened up.

_There was blood on the carpet, Liza Hannigan drank the last coke from the fridge and wasn't bothered by it. She followed the trail of blood like a yellow brick road into the bathroom. Her bare toes touched the tile and her heels stayed on the carpet. Xander's body lied spread eagle on the ground, his eyes open and staring at the ceiling. Liza looked up and saw—_

The typing had ended. He raised his eyebrow and crumpled it up and threw it to the floor with the rest of them.

Tony walked into the kitchen and saw Riley's cat sitting in the middle of the island.

"Hey, Cornelius." Tony scratched his ear and he purred. He then jumped from the counter to the ground and ran to the door Tony knew was Riley's bedroom. Cornelius meowed loudly and he opened the door for him. Tony walked in slowly. Her room was smaller compared to the rest of the rooms in the apartment. It was small, but comfortable.

Her bed sat off to the side and Cornelius went to his small bed underneath hers. Tony stuffed his hand in his pockets as he examined the pictures on her dresser. One was of her and her brother when they were younger, another of her and the man Hunter S. Thompson she talked about so very often as her inspiration, the one next to that was of her and her nephew in cardboard crown's from Burger King making cheesy humongous smiles at the camera. Tony laughed, but then his eyes landed on a picture that was face down on the floor. He bent down and picked it up. It was a black and white photograph of the two of them, that same picture was on his phone, still was. He remembered Pepper had taken the picture of the two of them because they were both wearing white and she thought it would be cute. Tony laughed at the memory, he missed it.

"Tony?" He heard Riley called from the living room, he quickly set the picture back up next to the one of Riley and Staison and walked back to the living room. Riley stood holding a laptop and annoyed expression on her face.

"Just got a drink from the kitchen." He lied and followed her out the door.

"Mmhmm." She walked out of the apartment and Tony followed. When they got back into the car Riley pulled out quickly. "You went into my room." She stated.

"I saw the picture." She didn't look at him, "Why do you still have it?" She didn't answer, she only gripped the steering wheel tighter. Tony smiled slightly. "Oh, I see."

"I don't—I don't still—like you or anything, it's just...it's—a good picture and I—"

"Riley, I get it."

"Yeah."

She drove for ten minutes, not saying a word. She suddenly pulled into a mall parking lot and parked, she rubbed her eyes.

"Riley...?"

"I'm—I can't do this."

"Can't do wha—"

"Be here, with you, so naturally. So, nonchalant about it all. I just...fucking can't." She leaned back and looked at the ceiling, "It hurts."

Tony felt the strongest urge to just kiss her, seeing her like this. But he knew that would not put him in a good situation at all. Her hand clutched the steering wheel so tight her knuckles were snow white. He reached over and peeled her figures from it and held her dainty hand in his. It took a few moments but she finally squeezed his hand back. She closed her eyes slowly as tears fell from the the edges down the sides of her cheeks.

"Hey, now." He wiped her cheeks, ridding of the salty tears. She sniffed, letting go of his hand and wiping her eyes.

"I'm sorry. I swear I'm turning more and more into an emotionally wrecked teenager every day." Tony chuckled.

"I guess I didn't help very much last month."

She scoffed but said nothing.

"Thank you, by the way. For...saving my life."

She nodded and looked at him, "Anytime."

"Oh, hey, happy birthday," Tony said, smiling.

Riley looked surprised, "You remembered?"

"Of course, thirty-two right?" Riley nodded.

"Well happy thirty second birthday."

"Well, thank you..." She stated awkwardly. "Now, let's get you home." She put the car in drive and started driving towards Malibu.

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I can't believe I cried in front of Tony. I am such a child. I couldn't focus at all as I drove Tony to his house, I'd almost wrecked us three times, straying off the road, or straying into the other lane on the highway. But I tried my best to stay focused when we finally entered Malibu. What a happy goddamn birthday I'm having, right?

I pulled into the long stretch of Tony's drive way and stopped when we got to the front.

"Do you want to come in, for a drink or anything?" Tony asked, his hand on the handle.

I had half a mind to accept, but I looked at the clock, it was almost two. "I'm sorry, but I have to pick Staison up from school. Some other time?"

Tony nodded, looking disappointed, he quickly covered it up but I'd seen it. He smiled slightly, "Yeah, I'll see you sometime Riles."

I bit my lip and my smile matched his, "Yeah."

"Bye."

"Ciao." And I drove off, cursing to myself. Why does he have to call me that? "_Riles." _I said quietly, growling under my breath. My phone started vibrating on my lap. I looked at it, it was Tony. "Hello?"

"_Hey, I left my suit in the back seat of your car."_

I looked in the rear view mirror and I saw the hot-rod red suitcase was indeed, sitting in the back seat. "Huh, yeah you did."

"_Could you turn around and bring it back?"_

"I could, but will I? I don't know." I felt like being an asshole, I smiled.

"_Riley." _Tony said sternly. I laughed.

"I'm turning around right now, calm down." I said as I pulled into a shoulder on the road and did a U-ie.

"_All right, just bring it down to the workshop." _I rolled my eyes, he probably forgot it on purpose, to get me into the house.

"Yeah, okay." I hung up and pulled back into the drive. I grabbed the handle of the suit case, expecting to pull it easily into the front seat with me. Wrong. It fell like an anvil to the floor, "Shit." That thing had to be at least forty pounds. I used both hands and yanked it from the floor to my lap. Wrapping my arms around it I stepped from my car to the front door. When I walked in I heard JARVIS' voice greet me.

"Welcome back, Miss McDermott."

"Yeah, only for a little while, buddy." I said, breathing in and hoisting the case higher in my arms so it wouldn't fall. I walked through the living room and spotted a beautiful grand piano. "When did he get that?" I asked myself.

"About two months ago." JARVIS answered my question. I chuckled.

"Thanks JARVIS." I said sarcastically and began to walk toward it. I set the suitcase on the floor. I sat down at the bench and slid the lid open slowly, "Wow." It was a very nice piano. I rested my fingers on the middle C and the B flat. I began to play a soft melody. After about five minutes I closed the lid and picked the overly heavy suitcase up again and walked down the steps to Tony's workshop.

I pressed 4665 into the key pad and opened the door. "Tony?" I called, he slid out from underneath his favourite car, shirtless.

"What took you so long?"

"Oh, I got distracted," I literally had to force my eyes from his bare...toned...chest to his face, "by your piano. Here's your uh—thing." I said distractedly and walked over to him. He picked it out of my arms with ease. Christ I'm weak. "Well, I gotta go."

"Wait—" He grabbed my arm and pulled me around. He was so close to me, I could feel the arc reactor on my chest. His eyes bore into mine, he was going to kiss me, and I wanted to kiss him. But I pulled back quickly, so quickly I lost my balance and fell to ground.

"Ow." Tony laughed and knelt down to help me up. He held my hand and pulled my body up with ease, just like the suitcase. He still had his hand in mine, but it began to travel up my arm to the back of my neck. His lips were less than an inch from mine and I stood there.

"Mmm," I whined, "Ihavetogo." I said hurriedly.

I backed away quickly and turned around. I limped up the stairs and didn't look back as I made my way up the stairs, to my car to go pick up my nephew.

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**Well?**


	17. What I Want

**So I've been letting my neighbor read each chapter before I publish it, not to beta it or anything, but just for some feedback before I publish. And once she finished reading this one said two things, "This is absolutely fantastic." And, "This would be the perfect ending." What do you think?**

**I have to tell you all, I had so much fun writing this chapter, and I hope you have as much fun reading it. So I won't keep you waiting, go ahead, you may enjoy now. ;D**

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I parked my car on the side of the road, and waited for Staison to get out of school. After about ten minutes, tons of little people began to file out of the elementary school and I scanned the crowd for that cute little blond boy. Soon enough I saw him running towards me and I picked him up.

"Ooh, Staison! How are you?" I said as I hugged him tightly.

"I'm good Aunt Riley, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! This is for you." I set him down and laughed, he handed me a piece of warped paper and on it was a very simple water colour version remake of the cover of my book, with a hitchhikers thumb sticking out onto the open road.

"Oh, thank you, Staison. And you know what, I'm parched, I'm feeling Ihop." His eyes got wide and he smiled brightly. Ihop was his favourite place to eat, but his mother never took him there.

"You really mean it?"

"Of course I mean it, don't I always take you?" I laughed as he hugged my waist, "And we can work on your homework there as well."

We made our way to Ihop and sat in the corner booth of the smoking section, normally I wouldn't sit here, but there wasn't a soul in there and I really needed a cigarette after today's events.

Staison ordered an omelet meal and I just ordered a coffee. Just as the waiter was about to walk away Staison stopped her.

"Oh Maggie, make that two coffees." I ogled my eyes at him and laughed.

Maggie laughed and nodded, walking away to get our coffees.

"I'm afraid I'm rubbing off on you Staison."

"Well, what's wrong with that?" He asked as he pulled out his math homework.

"Well, there are good things and bad."

"Like those cigarettes you smoke?" He picked up his pencil and began to work on his addition problems.

"Yeah." I said as I inhaled the smoke, he certainly knew how to make me feel bad. "I don't want you smoking, at all, all right Stais?"

He simply nodded, "I know. I want to be just like you Aunt Riley."

Maggie brought the coffee and I poured myself a drink and one for Staison. "Why would you want to be just like me?"

"Because you're amazing! You write and you take pictures for a living, I want to do that."

"You want to be a writer?" I asked, this really shocked me.

"Mmhmm. Can you teach me?" I smiled.

"Of course I can." I sipped on my coffee and watched him as he worked through his math problems with ease.

"I had an essay due last week about my hero. I wrote it about you, Aunt Riley." I felt like crying.

"You wrote about me?" He nodded happily.

"Is that okay?"

"Well yeah, kid. Of course it is." I laughed, "What kind of things did you put in your essay?"

"Well, I really wanted to write about your book, even though momma won't let me read it, that still makes me want to be just like you. I wrote about you going to the war in Iraq and reporting on it, I wrote about how strong you were; how fought lung cancer, how amazing you are at telling stories and playing the piano and being my best friend." I smiled, "I wrote about Tony too." I smiled faltered.

"Why?"

Staison took a drink of his coffee and moved to sit on his knees. "Now I know you don't like him, but you used to, right?" I nodded, "And he's a genius, Aunt Riley, and really fun to ball with." He must have visited with Tony when I was in the hospital.

"Well, you can write whatever your little soul desires." I said and flicked him on the nose.

"Hey. Watch it." He warned me, I only laughed. I felt like I was talking to a fellow journalist. It really was so hard to believe he was only seven going on eight soon. We spent another hour or so in Ihop before I decided to take him home.

Staison began fiddling with the cup holder cover to open it so he could rest his drink in it.

"What's this Aunt Riley?" Staison's high pitched voice asked. He held up a small box wrapped in white wrapping paper. He looked at a folded piece of paper that was on the top, "It doesn't say who it's from."

I took the paper from him, it had a very familiar quote on it, I didn't say it aloud, only read it. ''_I found a watch on the counter, a watch with a black band and silver hands. And it pointed my way, my way home.' _Happy Birthday Riley, I hope it's a good one.'

That was a quote from my book. Oh, Tony. I took the box and pulled the wrapping paper off slowly. It was a little black box, I lifted the lid off and inside was a black watch with silver hands, with two roman numerals; twelve and six decorated the sheer black plate in which the hands clocked. How clever of him.

I smiled and set the box in my lap and drove to Staison's house.

When we arrived, no one was home so we sat on the porch and waited. I smoked a few cigarettes and was on my third when Stacy pulled into the drive. Stacy was a lovely woman, short brown hair and a pretty smile.

"Hey momma."

"Hey buddy." Staison hugged his mom and walked with her to the porch, "Hey Riley, happy birthday."

"Thanks." I said as I threw the cigarette on the lawn and followed them inside. Staison ran up stairs to get something and I made myself at home on the couch. Stacy sat on the chair next to the fire place.

"Thank you for taking and picking Staison up from school, work has just been so hectic for Liam and I." She said sweetly.

"Oh, s'no problem, I don't mind it. We went to Ihop after school, 'cause I know you never take him." She looked a bit taken back by what I said, I was only being honest though.

"Oh, well, I suspect you sat in the smoking section then." She said bluntly, but sweetly. This sweetness really has to stop.

"Uh yah, Staison doesn't mind it." I took my phone out and checked the time, 4:04. I would be born exactly thirty-two years and seven minutes from now.

"Well I do. I will not have my son be cordonned with bad influences."

I rolled my eyes, every damn time I see her she bitches about something, "It's condone, condoned, idiot. And all I did was take him to Ihop, clam down." Plus, I don't think she used it in the appropriate sense.

"You smoke and drink, my son doesn't need to be around that."

Oh my god, "Your husband owns a bar!" I yelled. Why did Liam have to pick her? Why, really?

"I don't care, my husband doesn't expose him as much as you do."

"Fuck it, all right." I threw my hands up and walked outside.

"Wait, Aunt Riley!" Staison called after me, running and carrying a folder. "I'm sorry about my mother."

"It's fine Stais, she's entitled to an opinion." He hugged me.

"Here you go, I wrote this for you. But don't read it 'til you get home." I nodded and took the folder from him.

"I'll see you later Staison, tell your dad to call me."

"All right, I love you. Bye."

"Love you too smarty pants, bye." I climbed into my car and drove off steaming with anger but it eased slightly when I looked down at the watch in the passenger's seat. I sighed and pulled it out of the box, slipping it onto my right wrist as I drove. It fit well and I smiled slightly. The gift was unexpected, classy, but inappropriate given the situation, and here I was, accepting it and trying it on.

Instead of going back to my apartment and spending my birthday getting drunk all on my own, I decided to go to O'Gaily's and get drunk with a whole bunch of guys I didn't know.

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"Happy fuckin' birthday, sis." Liam said once I walked in through the door. Several other drunk neanderthals echoed him.

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!"

I laughed, "Yeah, thanks, get me a drink brother, I need one." I sat at the bar. He set down a bottle of Guinness in front of me and I kindly accepted. "Your wife threw a fit at me today."

"What'd y' do this time?"

"I didn't do anything, I took Staison to Ihop and she started going on about how she didn't want her son to be influenced by drinking and smoking and shit. Honestly, man, why'd you pick her?"

"Because she was the only one who would stand up to you...among other things as well. She's great in the sac." I rolled my eyes, "Nice watch by tha way, where'd you get it?"

"A friend." He nodded, eying my slightly and went back to serving the other costumers.

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"Happy birthday to me, happy birthday to me," I slurred and sang quietly under my breath as I walked around outside, trying to sober myself up to drive. For some reason, singing always sobered me up, don't know why. It's was only about nine, but I wanted to go home and just sleep. Sleep for the rest of my days.

I felt a vibration coming from my waist. I'd stuck my phone into the waistband of my skirt because I had no pockets. I held it to my line of vision and I saw that little picture I took of Tony so long ago. I had surprised him with breakfast at Stark Industries and also I surprised him with a picture with his mouth full of pancakes. I smiled remembering how he chased me around his office trying to get my phone to delete the picture.

And as if my fingers and hand had a mind of their own, I pressed call and held the phone to my ear.

"Uh, hello?"

"_Hey, Red." _I suddenly felt as sober as the day I was born.

"Hey...Tony."

"_You all right? You sound a bit...drunk." _He laughed slightly.

I scoffed, "I was about..." I looked down at my watch, that Tony gave me, "thirty minutes ago. Just sobering up so I can drive."

"_You had a good birthday then?"_

"I haven't had a good birthday since I was eleven and had sleep overs and got presents that I took back the next day because I got three of the same thing." I said looking up into the sky. I wish I could see the stars right now, stupid city lights. I heard Tony chuckle.

"_You got my gift?"_

"Yes, very clever." Yes, I'm wearing it right now, in fact.

"_So you liked it?"_

I paused for a second, should I give him the satisfaction that he had given me something that I liked? Or should I kill his spirit by telling me that I already had one just like it—which I didn't, but you know. I don't think I should go with the latter.

"Yeah, I did. Thank you."

I could practically hear him smiling, _"I thought you would." _I didn't mind talking to him, it actually began to sober me up faster. I found myself wondering why he even called me, but he quickly answered that for me, _"Hey, I'm sorry about what happened today. I forgot my place."_

I sighed, and leaned against my car. "I know, Tony, it's whatever."

"_Riley, I am."_

"I know, I know. It's fine, Tony."

"_Hey, I'm getting another call, I'll call you back in a bit, all right?"_

I sighed slightly, "Okay. Bye." And I hung up.

I slid down to the ground and tilted my head up. I heard the footsteps of someone approaching me. I glanced up to the smug face of my brother and looked back down.

"So this is how the lovely author of the famous 'Lenin Fabric Xeno' spends her birthday...with a bottle in front of her?" Liam leans against my car and looks down at me.

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me, than a frontal lobotomy." Liam snickered and knelt down next to me.

"I'm glad to see you still have that devil-may-care sense o' humour." I laughed and looked over at him. I felt like I was looking in a mirror, looking at his eyes. Such a bright green they were, just as mine. "You all right to drive home?" I nodded.

"I will be in a bit. Ten minutes or so." He rubbed my shoulder.

"Stay in the bar all night if ye have t'. I don't want you gettin' into a wreck." I nodded. "Here, ya left this in there." He handed me the box that held the camera lens he'd gotten me for my birthday. I took it and squeezed his hand.

"I love you brother, thank you."

"I love you too, deirfiúr." He kissed my forehead, stood, and walked back inside.

I sighed and picked myself up. I was sober enough to drive a mile. Just passing first street my phone began to ring, I saw that beautiful picture again and accepted.

"Hello."

"_Hey Riley, what ever you do, do NOT go to the Expo or anywhere near it." _He was speaking loudly and I heard a soaring sound, he was most likely in his suit.

"Well Tony, I kind of have to pass it on my way home, it's just a block from my apartm—"

"_I don't care, just stay at the bar. Do not go home."_

"Why? What's going on?" All of a sudden I heard a large eruption coming not two blocks in front of me. "Holy Christ, what the fuck was that?"

"_Riley, please, I don't want you to get hurt."_

"Okay, whatever, I'll just stop right here and I won't go anywhere." I pulled my car over and turned it off.

"_Where are you?"_

I got out and looked at the street signs, "I'm parked at the corner of West 2nd and South Broadway. Why?"

"_Okay, good, stay there. I—" _His line cut off before he could finish. I grunted and moved to sit on the hood of my car and fiddled with my new watch. What a load of horse shit.

I smoked a cigarette to calm my nerves and to cool down my buzz. When I flicked the butt onto the pavement, about six large objects flew past me. They were larger than Tony's suit, but still held a bit of the shape.

"Shit!" I jumped from my car it startled me so much. I heard another explosion and I saw smoke and little robots flying from the Expo building. What the hell is going on?

I stood around for about ten minutes, smoked a few more cigarettes, and tried to rack my inventive brain for all the possible explanations as to what was going on. My mind had yet to conjure up anything sensible. And suddenly, out of no where, a large dark green, bulky robot began running down the street, blasting every other thing it saw, including my car.

That was a 2010, too. "Goddamnit!" I said as I hid behind another car. The robot halted all movement and stood in the middle of the street. I narrowed my eyes as I observed it with caution for several minutes. It had an arc reactor just like Tony's suit in the middle of it's chest, it glowed red. And without any type of warning, it began to grow brighter and I heard a peculiar buzzing sound. My eyes widened and I realized that it was about to blow up.

I quickly shot from behind the car down the road the best I could in sandals and my useless leg. The burst of light and fire exploded behind me and the sudden wave of pressure threw me to the ground. Another explosion erupted in front of me, but I was lifted up into the air at an accelerating speed. I looked up and saw I was in the arms of the Iron Man suit, tears escaped my eyes; not only from the wind hitting my face, but the fact that my ears rang so loud from the high pitch explosion it felt like they were burning. I held onto Tony, or who I hoped was Tony as we flew through the air. I wouldn't dare look down.

We clumsily landed on the top of a building, when he set me down I staggered backwards and the next thing I know I was ten seconds from falling to the ground. But my shirt tightened around my chest and I had stopped in mid air. I peeled my eyes open to see I was standing at a 90 degree angle from the wall of the building. I was pulled back up and into Iron Man's arms. I let out a sob.

The helmet went up on Tony's suit and he looked at me with worried eyes.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"I have no idea what to think right now, I have no idea what the _fuck _just happened, Tony!" I told him, running my hands over my face and through my hair. I stepped away from him.

"So you're not hurt?" He persisted.

"No, I'm not hurt." Tony looked as if the world had been lifted from his shoulders and he stepped toward me, I only backed away, "I can't do this any more."

"Do what?"

"I can't have you in my life any more," Christ I feel like I'm in a shitty soap opera, "Ever since I did that stupid article about you, my life has been more fucked up then I could ever imagine. Granted times have been fun and I like an exciting life, but I don't want this. I don't want this at all."

He looked down, I'd hurt him. I hurt him and I felt terrible about it, but he had to know how I felt.

I spotted a door that led to a stairwell and I began to walk to it.

"So you're just going to leave? Just like that?"

I nodded, "I don't want this."

I took one step and his question stopped me, "Then what do you want?"

I turned back to Tony, and looked at his face, he has such a kind face. "I really don't know what I want, no one ever does. But I'll tell you what I don't want...I don't want to wake up in the morning next to nothing, so that I get a reminder of how much bullshit our existence is, and how alone we really are. How alone I really am. But that can never be something I have because I fuck up my life with people who fuck it up even more." Tears ran down my cheeks but I did not give a shit.

When Tony said nothing, I began to walk again.

"Marry me, then."

I stopped, dead in my tracks.

What?

"What?" I turned around as he walked up to me.

"Marry me. You know, with flowers and churches and beautiful music, the whole shebang."

I could not think. "...What?"

"You said you don't want to wake up alone any more, and neither do I. I love you Riley, with my entire little tin heart, I do. Is that what you want? Someone to love you? 'Cause I do, I've tried to deny it so many times but your mighty voice is ALWAYS in my mind and I would want nothing more than to marry you." I just about fainted. And maybe I did, maybe this was all in my imagination. Tony leaned down and kissed me, he kissed me full and strong. My hands lit up and pulled his head closer to mine. I stood on my toes and he pulled away, his forehead rest on my own, "Is that what you want?"

I shook my head, "I want you to kiss me...like that again."

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**Now you make the choice, is it an ending, or is there more?**


	18. Epilogue

**Thank you to all the lovely reviewers and your beautiful compliments, I thank you. Here's the final chapter/epilogue to Notches On The Tin Man's Bedpost. I hope you enjoy! Also, if any of you would enjoy a sequel LET ME KNOW! Lol, and if you want, give me a few comments on what you'd like to see if further stories were to take place. So, ciao for now. ;D**

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Epilogue

"Now we all know of the interesting and quite odd relationship between Start Industries' former CEO, Tony Stark, and controversial author and journalist, Riley McDermott." Chicago's own, Oprah Winfrey spoke into the camera and out to the audience, "Are they a couple, do they hate each other? What's the big deal between the two of them? Well, today, we're going to find out, ladies and gentlemen, Tony Stark and Riley McDermott!"

Everyone's attention shifted to the left as Riley and Tony walked out and took a seat in the uncomfortable yellow couch next to Oprah. Tony held onto Riley's hand as Oprah began to speak.

"Now, I guess it's no secret that you two are together, judging by the holding of hands," Tony smiled and kissed Riley's cheek. The audience 'aww'd' and Riley smiled, "Now isn't that just the cutest thing! Now, Riley, I know it must be very strange to go from the life you had, having a kind of underground fame as a journalist, to your personal life on the cover of People magazine not only with your new book, but also with your relationship with Tony, how do you feel about all this?"

Riley thought for a second, "Well, it's all just very peculiar and interesting to me, this fascination that people have with a certain people's personal life. It's all very strange to me."

"Yeah," Tony started, "Riley's not the person to be very cooperative with the press or give them a straight answer about _anything."_

"I'm adapting quite well to it though, still don't like it very much, but I'm dealing with it. A small price to pay." She looked at Tony and smiled slightly.

"How does a relationship like this develop, or come to be? It's no secret you two are very different, how exactly did that happen?" Oprah asked, eagerness in her voice.

Riley and Tony looked at each other for a moment, and Riley started, "Well, I'll tell you..."


End file.
